Stoke-on-Trent MP shines a light on College Apprenticeships

On Friday 9^th February, Jonathan Gullis, MP for Stoke-on-Trent North visited Stoke on Trent College’s Burslem Campus to highlight the significance of Apprenticeships in driving the economy forward.

The visit was designed to raise awareness of the benefits of Apprenticeships and coincided with the culmination of a week-long celebration and series of events which took place at the College as part of National Apprenticeship Week 2024.

During his time at the College, Jonathan had the opportunity to meet with several apprentices from a range of construction sector businesses.  He also engaged in some immersive drone training and challenges in the Advanced Construction Centre and participated in a roundtable discussion where he provided an update on his role in Apprenticeship provision and valuable insights into recent developments.

Jonathan Gullis, MP said “It was fantastic to visit Stoke on Trent College’s Burslem Campus on National Apprenticeship Week, meeting with a number of their excellent apprentices and hearing how their courses and hands-on experience are upskilling them for a successful career. As co-chair of the APPG for Apprenticeships, I know it is vital we continue to invest in Apprenticeships and encourage more employers to take on an apprentice. 

Lisa and the team at the college are great ambassadors for Apprenticeships and I’m proud to have worked with them to hire two apprentices of my own – Jess and Mya – who work hard day in, day out serving the constituents of Stoke-on-Trent North, Kidsgrove and Talke.”

The event was also attended by local employers Unitas and Carson Powell, who shared insights into their experiences and the positive impact Apprenticeships have had from the perspective of both the apprentice and the employer.

Helen Woolley from Carson Powell said:

“Our apprentices are very important to our Company’s succession planning and ensure that we will have the trades’ skills needed for the future. Over the past 15 years we have trained over 50 apprentices. We have enjoyed participating in National Apprenticeship Week with the college as well as having our own Company celebrations.”

Lisa Capper MBE, Principal and CEO of Stoke on Trent College said:

“At Stoke on Trent College, our mission is to ensure that all our learners are equipped with skills for the future. We offer Apprenticeships in key sectors such as Health, Construction, and Engineering as well as service industries.  Apprenticeships offer an ideal pathway to develop practical experience alongside formal training and nationally recognised qualifications.

We are proud to collaborate with a diverse range of employers to provide Apprenticeships across priority sectors, contributing to the growth of the local and regional economy. We are also keen to work with government so that we can get the best possible chances for apprentices and help make it easier for employers to participate”

To find out more about Apprenticeships at Stoke on Trent College, visit here.