Telford College in running to be named ‘best of best’ for apprenticeships
Telford College has been showcased at a parliamentary reception to celebrate the ‘best of the best’ apprenticeship providers across the country.
The college is one of just two finalists in the Construction Apprenticeship Provider of the Year category of the 2019 FE Week and AELP AAC Apprenticeship Awards.
The winners will be announced at a ceremony during the annual Apprenticeship Conference gala dinner at the ICC in Birmingham later this month.
Darren Wilson, the college’s interim director of employer engagement and apprenticeships, and civil engineering and construction tutor Jeff Fletcher, represented the college at the reception, held at the Houses of Parliament.
About 150 people packed into the Terrace Pavilion for the event, which coincided with National Apprenticeship Week. It was sponsored by the chair of the education select committee, Robert Halfon.
Addressing the finalists, who all received commemorative certificates, Mr Halfon said: “All the award nominees are change makers, so thank you to all the providers and organisations who are here today.”
Showcase
Mark Dawe, chief executive of the Association of Employment and Learning Providers, which co-runs the awards with FE Week, added: “We’ve got the best of the best here when it comes to apprenticeships.”
In its application, Telford College highlighted its successful ‘Careers In Construction’ event, which was run in partnership with the Construction Industry Training Board in response to growing concerns about the skills gap in the region.
Apprentices were given the chance to showcase their talents to hundreds of employers and visitors, and the CITB said it was keen to repeat the event.
The college is also an active member of the Shropshire Constructing Excellence group, working with the business community on developing training packages to help make the industry more appealing for young people.
In its application, the college said: “We have a new network of mentors from the Shropshire business community who are helping us to shape our training programmes for the fast-changing needs of employers, which includes embracing the latest hi-tech methods of learning.”
