As part of National Apprenticeship Week, launched by the Government on 1st February to highlight the significant benefits that both employers and employees obtain from apprenticeships, North Hertfordshire College ran a series of events to celebrate the talents and skills of people studying at the college as an essential part of their apprenticeships. Members of the public were invited to attend a range of open days to gain a flavour of different apprenticeship career opportunities ranging from catering to brickwork and plastering, business administration to sport and leisure, and health and social care to hairdressing.
One major draw was a VIP introduction to the Motor Vehicle Apprenticeship programme, on Friday 5th at NHC’s Stevenage Skills Centre. Ron Bratton, Deputy Director of Motor Vehicle, led visitors on a familiarisation tour of the centre and provided information about the programme. Then followed a demonstration of metal work techniques by Terry Howard, the Centre’s Motor Vehicle Advanced Learning Practitioner, who also offered visitors a hands-on skills challenge to create a metal cube by cutting and bending strips of aluminium. All demonstrations and interactive sessions were closely supervised.
Silvie Stoneman, Director of Work Based Learning reported: “Friday at the Skills Centre was a great success. We were delighted that more than 55 visitors joined us for the taster sessions. Plus, the visitor feedback was entirely positive, particularly about our provision of hands-on opportunities and the Centre’s specialised facilities.”
The motor vehicle apprenticeship programmes are the result of a partnership between employers and NHC, and focus on actual paid employment in the work-place, plus an element of class work involving both theory and practical skills development. The opportunity to get a taste of what motor vehicle apprenticeships actually involve and if it was the right individual career choice was welcomed by all, and by employers who are looking for young people with enthusiasm and ambition to succeed in a motor vehicle focused career.
Comments included an observation from Tommy Nippard from Letchworth who is currently studying for his GCSEs: “I’m just about to leave school and being a motor mechanic runs in the family and an apprenticeship will mean that I can start getting hands-on experience, plus having a job and earning money, and developing my skills. This is definitely for me – I have looked at a couple of other colleges but this (NHC) is the best.”
James Eagling from Gamlingay, currently an IT student at NHC, is intent on becoming a motor vehicle apprentice; he says: “It will give me real experience in a job, with the added bonus of becoming qualified at the same time. Although NHC is not that local for me, I value what studying here is giving me, and intend to continue at NHC in my apprenticeship.”