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City College backs ‘Apprenticeship Week’
20 February 2009
City College Brighton and Hove is backing the national 'Apprenticeship Week' initiative which starts on Monday, February 23rd. The week of events aims to raise the profile of apprenticeships in the workplace, highlight the benefits of apprenticeships in tackling the issue of crucial skills shortages, and celebrate the achievements of apprentices and the role they play in today’s business, as well as encouraging more employers to take on apprentices. During the week, a series of events will take place across the country including a roadshow of seminars featuring Sir Alan Sugar, based on the theme that apprentices ‘Make Things Happen’.
On Tuesday 24th, City College will be taking part in an Apprenticeship Week event at The Brighton Dome which aims to highlight how all the city’s key stakeholders - employers from all sectors, training providers and funders - can work together to increase the availability, breadth, quality and completion rates for full Apprenticeship frameworks in the city, and take on the challenges laid down by government to double the number of Apprenticeship places available nationally by 2013.
City College Principal Phil Frier meets apprentices at The Point - Apprenticeship Week is being backed by Chris Collins (right)
The government has also recently announced a £1 billion investment into apprenticeships by 2010/2011, as well committing a further £140m next year to fund an additional 35,000 apprenticeships to help strengthen the country’s competitiveness and beat the recession.
City College Hairdressing student Charlotte Cornell, who is serving her apprenticeship at The Point salon on Trafalgar Street in Brighton, says:
"Doing an apprenticeship is more vocational and it’s easier to support yourself plus you’re in a creative environment all the time and it makes you think about what you’re learning."
Alison Fox, Salon Manager at The Point, says:
"The Point always needs apprentices and they learn a lot more by doing in-house training where we can keep an eye on their progress rather than solely being in a classroom environment. The enthusiasm and pizzazz of the apprentices we’ve got from City College has brought at lot to our business."
Joe Davenport, Local Employment & Opportunities Manager for Brighton and Hove City Council, who are leading on apprenticeships in the city, says:
"By bringing together all the skills in the industry, we will create a Citywide Strategy, which will showcase the business benefits and the long term sustainability of utilising apprenticeships."
City College Principal Phil Frier says:
"Despite the gloomy economic climate, it’s vital that businesses think beyond the downturn of the present and continue to review their skills base for the upturn of the future. There’s never been a better time to access funding to support apprenticeships, and here at City College we’re committed to ensuring that employers, employees and young people just starting their careers are fully aware of the options and funding available to them."
Former City College horticulture apprentice Chris Collins, who went on to find TV fame as the Blue Peter gardener and who was also recipient of the prestigious Prince Philip Medal in 2007, is another passionate supporter of apprenticeships. Chris says:
"'I've been lucky enough to have achieved and experienced a lot of things in my life time , from interesting jobs to working in exotic locations but if I am asked what was the most important life changing decision I ever made , it would be when I decided to take on an apprenticeship. It taught me skills that twenty years later are still invaluable. We'd all like to be pop stars or footballers but this only happens to the few. Learning a trade will give you independence, the ability to always put bread on the table and most importantly, pride."
For media enquiries, please call Brian Bell, Marketing Communications Officer, on 01273 667788 Ext. 488 or email bb1@ccb.ac.uk
About City College Brighton and Hove: Situated in the heart of Brighton, City College Brighton and Hove has become an international centre of vocational excellence. Every year 2,000 full-time, 10,000 part time, over 500 Higher Education and 250 14-16 year old students as well as many international and European students choose City College as their place of further and higher education training. In addition, the College provides training to over 2,000 businesses via its ‘City Business Skills’ department which focuses on employer training needs. Offering over 700 courses from basic level right through to business and postgraduate training, City College is working with its partners to develop the workforce of the future.
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