Apprenticeships continue despite Covid lockdown challenges

Since August, the college has engaged with more than 80 new local companies, and placed close to 300 new apprentices in positions where they can earn while they learn.

“The pandemic has presented us all with many challenges, but in our experience local employers still remain positive,” said Beckie Bosworth, Telford College’s employer engagement manager.

“Since the summer we have grown in areas such as engineering, automotive and construction as well as some of the other areas, and we have dozens of live vacancies right now.”

One of the college’s latest initiatives is a partnership with Eurovia UK Limited to deliver the first road surfacing operative qualifications of their kind in the UK.

Together with its associated companies, Eurovia UK teams are responsible for improving over 50,000 kilometres of the UK’s highways network.

Beckie said: “During these difficult times we have still enrolled dozens of new apprentices onto programmes, including the new road surfacing apprenticeship – it’s a tribute to everyone involved.

“This new road surfacing programme has been developed to tackle the skills gap in a sector with an increasingly ageing population.”

Andrew Tomlins, Eurovia Surfacing’s divisional manager, said: “Working with Telford College to develop this new apprenticeship has been a wonderful opportunity.

“We have created a programme for young people to learn and develop in a fantastic sector.

“This pandemic has shown how vital it is to keep the country’s highways safe and well maintained. Our apprenticeship means we are growing a talented workforce and skills for now and the future benefit of our whole country.”

Telford College’s apprenticeships team has been continuously supporting schools, parents and current students with progression opportunities since the first lockdown.

Beckie said: “Our involvement in the Government’s Kickstart scheme is also proving to be a success with over 90 placements approved – helping young people into work and hopefully onto an apprenticeship.

“The general awareness of apprenticeships continues to grow, and more young people are now seeing them one of their main options for when they leave school and college.”

Telford College has also seen a growing number of mature students applying for apprenticeships since the start of the pandemic, as they seek a change in career – either through choice or necessity.

The college has also created a new Engineering Hub during lockdown to cement even closer links with the manufacturing and production sector, and hosted the launch of a new Skills Hub for Telford Business Board.

“Focusing on specific sectors of the economy, allowing companies to share best practice and help us to inform our curriculum planning, is invaluable to us,” Beckie added.

“As the next step, we will also be launching a new construction hub later this month.”