Record number of Apprentices at Canterbury College

As apprenticeships become the government’s focus again, Canterbury College has announced record numbers of young people joining its apprenticeship training programmes.

More young people than ever before have signed up to Canterbury College’s 39 Apprenticeship courses, which include Mechanical Engineering, Health and Social Care, Childcare and Accounting and Dental Nursing. The College now has more than 450 Apprentices, and expects to have more than 500 in the New Year.

Mark Hill, Director of Business Development and Associated Services, said: “The huge amount of work we have done to engage local employers and to raise the profile of our Apprenticeships is clearly paying dividends. Apprentices are a great investment for employers and are highly valued by many businesses as our great results also prove. Our Apprentices are among the most successful in Kent and a credit to the College.”

Canterbury College is set to benefit from the government’s pledge of extra funding for Apprenticeships when it launches its Youth Contract in April 2012. The extra money will allow the College to add to its already extensive range of Apprenticeship courses. It will also give employers more contributions towards Apprentices’ wages.

Some existing courses have rolling start dates, meaning prospective students can still sign up and begin from January. Taster sessions of all courses will be held at the College during Apprenticeship Week in February.

Through apprenticeships, young people gain on the job training alongside studying for qualifications. Depending on the type of role, apprenticeships usually last between one and two years, and give young people a firm footing within a company and some can also lead to a degree level qualification at university. The College plans to launch even more Apprenticeships in 2012.

The College’s Canterbury Training and Recruitment (CTR) service plays a big role in getting young people into work. CTR provides a bridge between students and businesses by advertising job vacancies, shortlisting candidates, conducting initial interviews and arranging employer interviews. It also teaches students about working life and gives them employability training, including CV and interview tips.

To find out more about Apprenticeships go to canterburycollege.ac.uk/apprenticeships.