WILTSHIRE College & University Centre has smashed its target of recruiting 100 apprentices in 100 days with pledges to enrol 116 students and 35 new employers on board.
The campaign, launched in Apprenticeships Week in February, was aimed at spreading the message that companies can help their staff gain new skills without having to send them out of the county or hone new talent recruited on their doorstep.
Martin Reeves, the college’s Director of Business Development, said the campaign has not only made more companies aware of the college and what it has to offer, it has strengthened the relationship with existing employers.
“I am absolutely delighted we’ve exceeded our target and the most pleasing thing is the number of conversations we’ve had with new employers who didn’t realise how many tools we have at our disposal to help them upskill their workforce or identify new talent,” he said.
“Our five Business Relationship Managers have worked tirelessly to get out and visit companies throughout the 100 days to talk about how our apprenticeships are not just for young people starting out on their career but for any age.”
One of the employers who have supported the campaign is facilities management company Mitie in Corsham. Contract Manager Kyeisha Adams, who herself is studying an apprenticeship in operations management, said the company has five apprentices with the college.
“We believe in investing in people and working with the college helps us to help our staff reach their potential,” she said. “The great thing about learning on the job through an apprenticeship is that you’re getting real life experience, you’re experiencing what would actually happen in the job rather than in a classroom – and you are getting paid while you are learning.”
Trowbridge cosmetics company Meiyume has 16 apprentices with the college and Talent and Reward Manager Janna Baker said the college’s Business Relationship Managers have made the process easy.
“They are willing to come out into the business as often as we need so they are highly visible and flexible,” she said. “We started with eight apprentices in our warehouse doing supervisor and team leader apprenticeships, and after they started I had more managers asking me how they could get their staff involved. It is great for the business because it has made our staff more agile in their thinking and more invested in their work.”
Becs Ponting, one of the college’s five BRMs, said the campaign has brought employers closer to the college. “It has really opened up more conversations and we are talking to them about T Levels, where students combine classroom learning with work placements, they are coming in to talk to our students and we are discussing creating new apprenticeships to meet their needs.
“Many of them didn’t realise that with our professional and health apprenticeships they can start at any time of the year. It means we can tailor programmes that deliver the skills and training they need for companies of any size and it dovetails with their work responsibilities to minimise the impact on the business.”
Martin said more and more young people are looking at apprenticeships as an alternative to university. “They are landing more with young people because they are a viable alternative, there is far less cost involved, they can stay in Wiltshire, they are straight into the workplace and earning a salary and they are building a network of contacts within a company,” he said.
“I’m delighted this campaign has brought us into contact with so many new employers, as well as deepened the conversations we have with existing ones, and we are going to be building on this momentum.”
For more information about apprenticeships at WCUC visit here.
