Newcastle College Backs the Power of Apprenticeships

Newcastle College is hoping to inspire more people to take up an apprenticeship this March, in a number of events to be held during National Apprenticeship Week.

The Week, which runs Monday 4 until Friday 8 March, will see the College bring together apprentices and employers to celebrate the positive impact of apprenticeship programmes and demonstrate what a great route into employment or way to upskill they can be.

Michael Casey, Head of Apprenticeships at Newcastle College thinks there is still a lot to be done to combat some of the myths surrounding apprenticeships.

“Apprenticeships can be a fantastic career choice for almost everyone, whether you’re looking for an entry level route into employment or you’re looking to upskill and develop in your existing role.

“There has been a lot of changes to apprenticeships over the past few years, so they’re no longer just for school leavers and they’re not just for manual trades or entry level, but importantly they do still offer a chance to earn while you learn.

“Apprenticeships are available for almost any sector you might be interested in and are available up to degree level, so there are a huge number of opportunities out there. They could help you get a career in areas such as hospitality, health and care or digital and social media.”

Along with events for their existing students and workshops for employers, the College is holding an Apprenticeships Open Showcase on Wednesday 6 March, alongside its open evening.

Apprentices currently working in areas such as health and care, construction and hairdressing will be showing off some of the skills they’ve been learning during their programme and answering questions from anyone considering them as a career choice. The Apprenticeships Team will also be on hand to give advice and guidance on how to apply, CV tips and identifying areas for support, to help students land their dream apprenticeship role.

David Crank, a Roofing, Slating and Tiling apprentice, who originally worked as a labourer for his employer Hodgson Sayers before embarking on his apprenticeship said: “I like being hands-on, it’s the best way for me to learn. The benefit of an apprenticeship is working and learning at the same time. I can be taught something in training which I can apply in practice on site straight away. I hope to one-day help to train future apprentices.”

At the end of the week, the College will host the annual Newcastle College Apprenticeship Awards, sponsored by Northumbrian Water.

The glitzy event will be celebrating the successes of individuals on their apprenticeship programmes and recognising their hard work.

Sarah Salter, Group HR Director at Northumbrian Water said: “We are delighted to be sponsoring Newcastle College’s Apprenticeship Awards this year.

“We know first-hand how valuable apprenticeships are for our people at Northumbrian Water, developing our teams as well as our business. Apprenticeships create opportunities to learn, grow and achieve for all involved and it’s fantastic to be supporting the recognition of the achievements of all the apprentices at this event.”

Michael adds: “The Apprenticeship Awards are a highlight in the diary, because it’s fantastic to see everybody’s hard work and successes come together and be recognised.

“We’ve seen so many successful apprentices come through Newcastle College and go on to have successful careers, and I hope that by telling some of these success stories during National Apprenticeship Week, we can encourage even more people to become an apprentice.”

Anyone interested in attending the Apprenticeship Open Evening on Wednesday 6 March can register for a place here.