Work ethic on display with College students

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, it is encouraging to see local employers continuing to develop their workforces by  supporting @barnsleycollege apprentices and students in industry placements. 

Yorkshire Ambulance Service (YAS)  have continued to recruit apprentices during lockdown. Candidates had to undertake an unconventional approach to applying for the roles by attending online interviews using Microsoft Teams software. The College’s Business Development team were proactive in helping them to prepare, by getting them familiar with the functionality of the meeting software. They even hosted a mock interview to enable consideration of things like camera angles and background noise. These efforts paid-off with YAS recruiting three candidates onto the Level 2 Customer Service Practitioner Apprenticeship.

Amanda from YAS said: “We were so surprised by the caliber of candidates and were only expecting to take on maybe one or two but we’ve ended-up with three great recruits. We were so delighted with the selection process that we are advertising for two more roles.”

Indulgence Hair Salon in Monk Bretton have also been keeping in touch with their Level 2 Hair Professional apprentice Olivia Cryer, by providing online tutorials. Salon Manager Steffany Logan  added: “The salon is currently closed but it is important that we keep in touch with Olivia to help her keep up-to-date with her skills and build her confidence whilst she is working from home. We are supporting her College lessons, which are being delivered online; last week we did a tutorial about colouring hair. We have an excellent relationship with Barnsley College and we are considering taking on an additional apprentice when we re-open.”

Ellie Jordan, a Level 3 Animal Management student with Barnsley College, has continued to attend her work placement at Mount Pleasant Farm in Great Houghton during lockdown. Farmer Steve Richardson commented: “Ellie was keen to keep supporting us and we have adapted the way we work at the farm to maintain social distancing for staff whilst they work. Several of our regular staff are key workers so Ellie’s help has proven invaluable during this busy time of year, to help us with lambing and also weaning, health checks and vaccinations for our young piglets.”