Telford College creates nearly 300 apprenticeships since lockdown

Since August last year, the college has engaged with more than 80 new local companies, and placed close to 300 new apprentices in positions where they can earn while they learn.

“The pandemic has presented us all with many challenges, but in our experience local employers still remain positive,” said Beckie Bosworth, Telford College’s employer engagement manager.

“Since the summer we have grown in areas such as engineering, automotive and construction as well as some of the other areas, and we have dozens of live vacancies right now.”

This week is National Apprenticeships Week, and the college has put together a busy programme of activities including webinars and facebook live sessions. Details are at www.telfordcollege.ac.uk/naw2021

The college’s apprenticeships team has been continuously supporting schools, parents and current students with progression opportunities since the first lockdown.

Beckie said: “Our involvement in the Government’s Kickstart scheme is also proving to be a success with over 90 placements approved – helping young people into work and hopefully onto an apprenticeship.

“The general awareness of apprenticeships continues to grow, and more young people are now seeing them one of their main options for when they leave school and college.”

Beckie said Telford College had also seen a growing number of mature students applying for apprenticeships since the start of the pandemic, as they seek a change in career – either through choice or necessity.

The college has also created a new Engineering Hub during lockdown to cement even closer links with the manufacturing and production sector, and hosted the launch of a new Skills Hub for Telford Business Board.

“Focusing on specific sectors of the economy, allowing companies to share best practice and help us to inform our curriculum planning, is invaluable to us,” Beckie added.

“As the next step, we will also be launching a new Construction Hub later this month.”