Karen Woodward, Regional Director of the National
Apprenticeship
Service at
ncn Basford Hall with Ben
Brierley, 18, Painting & Decorating apprentice
National Apprenticeship Week runs from 1 - 5 February 2010. Organised by the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS), it celebrates the talent and skills of apprentices and showcases the benefits of Apprenticeships programmes and the value apprentices bring to the organisations they work for.
For The Individual
Apprentices work with an employer to gain the experience and skills needed to do the job and at the same time, get the qualifications to prove they can do it! They go to work part of the week and to college the rest of the time.
Doing an Apprenticeship is free. The Learning and Skills Council pay the college fees. As well as work experience and a wage, apprentices also gain an NVQ qualification, a Technical Certificate and Key Skills Certificates. Apprenticeship can take between one and four years to complete depending on the level of Apprenticeship, the apprentices' ability and the industry sector.
Angela Simbani
Skills for retail
Angela Simbani, 18, has recently completed a Skills4Retail Level 2 Apprenticeship at ncn.
"I enjoyed the course because it's more practical than what you learn in school. I have experienced how real shops work and I have been treated much more like an adult," she said.
"I would recommend Apprenticeships to other young people because the teachers are friendly and helpful and you learn skills for work."
ncn is part of the National Skills Academy for Retail and helped Apprenticeships rise to record levels in the retail sector last year, figures released this week revealed. The College delivered 24 Retail Apprenticeships last year - contributing to a 31 percent rise across the country.
Theo Paphitis, star of BBC2’s hit show Dragons’ Den, and Chairman of stationery specialists Ryman, applauded ncn on its involvement in Apprenticeships and called on Nottinghamshire retailers to explore the benefits during the week.
Robyn Coleman
Backstage theatre skills
Robyn Coleman, 18, is a Theatre Technician apprentice at ncn.
"There is so much to learn but I find it really interesting and I can't wait to learn more about different types of backstage and offstage work in the theatre," she said.
"I'd say to someone considering an apprenticeship - go for it! I find the hands-on learning really suits me, and it's so different to school - you are studying hard but it's not so obvious as you learn on the job."
ncn is a Founder College of the National Skills Academy for Creative and Cultural Skills.
For The Employer
Apprenticeships are 'Good for Business'. They can make your organisation more effective productive and competitive by addressing your skills gaps directly, even in uncertain economic times.
Key statistics from Populus research (February 2009):
- 81% of businesses agree that apprentices make their workplace more productive
- Apprentices provide the skilled workers we need for the future (82% employers agree)
- Apprenticeships mean lower recruitment costs (67% employers agree).
Danny Gee, Director, with Shane Daley, apprentice,
J.A.B. Electrical Ltd
J.A.B. Electrical Ltd
Danny is a former apprentice who studied at ncn as a mature student. "The training I did at ncn Basford Hall was invaluable," he said. "I started at J.A.B. five and a half years ago and worked my way up from the bottom. Last year I was made Director, so I am a good role model for our apprentices, demonstrating what can be achieved by hard work and determination."
The company has continued to grow during the recession and has employed further apprentices who had been made redundant from other organisations.
Rosie Baker, 17, Heating & Ventilation apprentice
Apprentices are employees who earn a wage and work alongside experienced staff in businesses to gain job-specific skills. Off the job, usually on a day-release basis, apprentices receive training to work towards nationally recognised qualifications. ncn delivers Apprenticeships in the following areas:
To find out more about Apprenticeships, visit our ncn at Work Apprenticeships pages.
Posted on 1 February 2010