EMPLOYERS who got the chance to discuss apprenticeships with hundreds of students at Wiltshire College & University Centre’s latest Appren-T-Fest have praised the event.

The Trowbridge campus event brought 20 national and regional employers from across the area to meet more than 400 Year 10 and 11 pupils from schools across the area.

Among the companies represented was Defence Support Group, part of global defence, aerospace and security company Babcock International, which has bases in Bristol, Wareham and Plymouth.

Apprenticeship Development Manager Dean Green said: “We’ve had some good conversations with some of the students in relation to what we do and to talk about some of the apprenticeships we offer.

“DSG has around 95 apprentices, mainly employed across sectors such as engineering, leadership and management, business admin and customer service, as well as current apprentices undertaking Level 6 and 7 degree apprenticeships within the engineering sector.”

He said the company places huge value on apprenticeships and the role they play. “They are a key part of our long-term strategy to ensuring that our individuals have the skills to meet our customers’ needs, both now and moving forwards with the innovative changes that continually happen in our environment,” he said.

“We bring these individuals in, we support them in their development and then we see the advantage in their cultural perspective to have a diverse culture that supports innovation.”

Wessex Water and & YTL Group Careers Inspiration Advisor Louise Hayward was busy sharing the opportunities for young people.

“We have over 80 apprenticeship roles offered within the YTL group ranging from construction, engineering to operations,” she said.

“These apprenticeships range from the electrical, mechanical and instrumentation technician apprentice to sewer renovation operative apprentice. Who knew there were so many sewage apprenticeships!”

She said shaping young recruits is essential to the business’s growth. “It’s a great way to nurture talent from a young age and be able to mould them with the skills and behaviours that we want,” she said.

“We pride ourselves that we hire based on attitude. Half of our apprentices last year had completed a form of work experience, which guarantees them a spot at an assessment centre, where we look for the right attitude. Apprenticeships are a really key part of our recruitment process and filling any skills gaps that we are facing.”

Kathryn Partington from Wiltshire Council was at her third Appren-T-Fest, having attended last year’s in Trowbridge and a recent event at Salisbury.

“We’re currently offering 56 different apprenticeships standards throughout Wiltshire Council, from Level 2 to Level 7. Some examples of the roles include the Level 2 customer service assistant apprentice in our leisure centres to motor vehicle, social worker and occupational therapy routes – as well as chartered town planners and senior leaders.

“All of our apprentices are offered a guaranteed role after successful completion. What we’re looking for is that anyone new to their career in a local authority can then build and progress throughout the organisation. It’s ongoing training that allows us to get people in who don’t necessarily have those skills at the beginning.”

At any one time there are around 2,000 students under WCUC’s guidance on apprenticeship schemes in more than 70 subject areas.

Director of Business Development Martin Reeves said the event is a way of showing students how many opportunities there are to follow their careers in Wiltshire.

“There is this perception that young people have to move out of the county to get where they want to be but they’ve seen all of these fantastic employers here at Appren-T-Fest where they can achieve their aims right here on their doorstep with our support.

“We’re really grateful to all of the companies who came along and we’re delighted they got as much out of Appren-T-Fest as the young people did.”

Find out more about apprenticeships at WCUC here.