Fareham College and South Western Railway celebrate 100th apprentice #NAW2109

Fareham College and South Western Railway (SWR) are today celebrating the 100th apprentice to join SWR’s REACh apprenticeship programme.

The REACh apprenticeship programme began in 2018 and offers apprenticeships that cover a wide range of themes, including how to successfully lead and manage people, problem solve effectively and develop strong project and operations management skills.

The programme allows apprentices to learn through a mixture of traditional classroom-based learning and practical workplace application. Apprentices attend monthly sessions at Fareham College, in which the knowledge is covered, and then their skills are applied and developed in the workplace through observations by assessors and meetings with mentors.

More than 100 people have started REACh apprenticeships with SWR. Innocent Obio, who works on the platform at Waterloo Station and joined SWR in in 2015 as a Gateline/Customer Service Assistant, is the 100th person to join the programme. He will be undertaking a Level 3 Team Leader Apprenticeship at the College.

Speaking about the value of apprenticeships, Innocent said:

“This programme not only helps me to improve the level of my professional handling of everyday issues and relationships at work, it has also enabled me, at the same time, to obtain the Institute of Leadership and Management Level 3 professional qualification for managers. This has set me on a fine pedestal for career advancement both within and outside the industry. I’m truly grateful to the staff at Fareham College and South Western Railway for their help and support. I would recommend the apprenticeship route to anyone.”

Kirstie Thompson, Apprenticeship Compliance Manager at South Western Railway, added:

“Apprenticeships allow you to develop practical skills and learn all the theory associated with your chosen specialism whilst being employed and earning a wage. At SWR we are dedicated to developing our people, whether that is through apprenticeships, training or workplace mentoring. Fareham College is an amazing partner and really understands our training needs. We hope to attract even more apprentices to the scheme this year and want to show that anyone at any age and stage in their career can benefit from an apprenticeship programme.”

The news comes as the UK celebrates National Apprenticeship Week 2019. The annual week-long event, which runs from the 4 to 8 March, celebrates the impact and value of apprenticeships on individuals, businesses and the economy.

About Fareham College: Fareham College is judged ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted, the highest ranking available and has recently been named FE College of the Year by the Times Educational Supplement.

The College offers an exceptional learning environment and is a centre of excellence for teaching and learning. With a wide choice of subjects, £29 million of campus developments and excellent success rates, Fareham College is the first choice for ambitious students looking for the very best professional and technical training to set them on the path to a rewarding career or higher education.

The College offers a diverse range of courses that includes BTECs, NVQs, Traineeships, Apprenticeships, Higher Education and professional courses to prepare students for employment in their chosen career path or progression to university.