This year’s National Apprenticeship Week “one to remember”

The 10^th National Apprenticeship Week ends of a high for individuals, businesses and economy.

Last week marked this year’s National Apprenticeship Week 2017, themed “Ladder of Opportunity”, which hosted a week of exciting events highlighting the importance and benefits of apprenticeships to individuals, businesses and the economy.

Starting on Monday 6 March with a launch event at Barclays HQ at Canary Wharf, London, Secretary of State for Education, Justine Greening MP addressed an audience of employers and apprentices at the launch event, outlining just some of the apprenticeship highlights from the last decade.

Tuesday saw a webinar ran by The Big Assembly gave 10,000 individuals taking part the opportunity to hear first-hand from apprentices, employers and the Minister for Skills, Robert Halfon, and Wednesday included a visit to the House of Commons for five young apprentice ambassadors from the North West and North East Young Apprentice Ambassador Networks.

A return trip to the House of Commons was made on Thursday, with 170 apprentices and 40 employers taking part in an ‘Apprentices take over the Commons’ event.

A JCB was also unveiled on Thursday, built by 68 apprentices and 3 graduates from JCB’s Loadall Division. The build took 568 hours from design to completion and involved 775 nuts and bolts to complete. The machine will later this year be auctioned with all proceeds going to charity.

The Unipres Training Academy was formally opened on Thursday, a training facility will be used to train existing staff and 100 apprentices each year – ensuring when they leave the training facility and move onto the automotive production line, they are fully trained and work ready.

To end the week, on friday, ex-apprentices from across England take part in a photo call on the door step of Number 10 Downing Street – to celebrate 10 years of National Apprenticeship Week. The apprentices were also invited inside for a tour.

An IBM event on Cyber Security apprenticeships also took place on the last day of National Apprenticeship Week 2017. The event included a presentation on the Cyber Security apprenticeship standard, with employer presentations and input from apprentices.

Apprenticeships and Skills Minister Robert Halfon said: “This year’s National Apprenticeship Week has truly been one remember. Not only have we been celebrating the best of the best in apprenticeships, this government has also put skills at the heart of the Budget with £500M for new technical routes to rival A Levels.

“But National Apprenticeship Week is all about the people behind the announcements. I have met some amazing apprentices during this week of different ages and backgrounds who are inspiring, driven and on the ladder of opportunity to fulfil their potential. I want to wish every apprentice across the country the very best of luck in their future careers.”

Sue Husband, Director, National Apprenticeship Service concluded: “This 10th annual National Apprenticeship Week has been a huge triumph. We have witnessed an array of events taking place up and down the country – some run by apprentices, some run by employers themselves – all with the common aim to showcase the brilliance of apprenticeships and the numerous job roles and sectors they are available in.

“And, the shining stars of National Apprenticeship Week 2017 have to be the apprentices themselves – they have supported the Week on social media, they have addressed audiences at events and they have showcased really well the benefits apprenticeships have brought to their professional and personal lives.”

In total, over 530 events took place during NAW2017, including business breakfasts, careers fairs, opening evenings and a five-a-side football tournament.

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