WCG’s double-decker apprenticeship bus hits the Midlands roads for National Apprenticeship Week

A double-decker bus tour will highlight how apprenticeships can help young people kickstart their careers as it hits roads across the Midlands as part of National Apprenticeship Week.

Leading college group WCG, which includes colleges in Warwickshire and Worcestershire, is travelling around 13 schools and two colleges across three Midlands regions to highlight the benefits of apprenticeships and the range of industries on offer.

The theme for National Apprenticeship Week – which runs from February 6 to 10 – is ‘Skills for Life’ and the college group will be visiting three schools or colleges a day with a wide range of activities taking place on the bus.

It will visit schools in Coventry, Warwickshire and Worcestershire, with apprenticeships being showcased ranging from plumbing and engineering to horticulture and animal care.

Activities will include the assembly of plumbing fittings, animal health checks, table setting, napkin folding and horticulture seed sewing.

Students will get the chance to create their own catapult from lollypop sticks and spoons under the watchful eye of engineering tutors from the college.

There will also be demonstrations of power tools and motor vehicle experts partially stripping engines for prospective apprentices to inspect.

The college group is the largest college provider of apprenticeship training in the region, with up to 2,000 apprentices trained every year and working with over 1,100 local, regional and national employers.

Mark Whittaker, from WCG, said: “We have seen huge interest in our apprenticeships bus over the last four years and have spoken with thousands of young people in schools all across the Midlands.

“This year to facilitate for demand we have upgraded to a double decker bus, which will allow us to host more innovative and attention grabbing activities for young people on the bus itself.

“We aim to make it as interactive and engaging as possible, with widespread professions and industries to help young people find the right career for them.

“Apprenticeships continue to be at the heart of government policy and will play a vital role in rebuilding the UK economy. There is always more work to do to ensure that young people know about the benefits of taking the apprenticeship route and that is what we are trying to do with our apprenticeship roadshow.”

The double decker bus will hit the road to visit Myton School, Trinity Catholic School and Campion school in Leamington and Warwick on Monday, before heading to Rugby for Tuesday to visit Harris Church of England Academy, Rugby Free Secondary School and The Avon Valley School.

It will then head to Coventry on Wednesday to visit Westwood Academy and WMG Academy, before finishing the day at Royal Leamington Spa College. On Thursday it will begin a two day stay in Worcestershire, with visits The De Monfort School in Evesham, St Benedict’s Catholic School in Evesham and St Augustine’s Catholic High School in Redditch.

The tour will finish on Friday with visits to The Chase School in Malvern, Hanley Castle High School and making its final stop on the route at Pershore College.

WCG offers a wide range of apprenticeships in a variety of industries. For more information visit www.wcg.ac.uk/apprenticeships