Monday 3rd February was the first day of what is a very important week in the apprenticeship calendar. National Apprenticeship Week is an annual celebration of all that is amazing about apprenticeship programmes. This year, National Apprenticeship Week is even more special for Apprenticeships at Salford City College, as we celebrate our tenth year of delivering apprenticeship programmes. In that period, we have supported over 1,000 employers, and delivered apprenticeship programmes to many local people, with just over 1,500 apprentices supported in the last academic year alone.
We were delighted to welcome back into college one of our very first apprentices, Courtney Winstanley, who was one of the first apprentices who started in 2009. She was joined by Ashley Gatto, who was in the same group, who now works for Eccles Sixth Form College (part of the SCC Group) as a Digital & Assistive Technology Leader.
Both Ashley and Courtney have made great strides in their professional career since completing their apprenticeship. Both have also studied further, building on the confidence developed from their apprenticeship. Courtney explained: “There’s such a variety of apprenticeships available right now. It’s not just business administration, construction or health and beauty. They literally do apprenticeships in everything. There’s even management apprenticeships. I’m just a big advocate for them as they have given me such a push in life. I wouldn’t be where I am today without Apprenticeships at Salford City College.”
Debbie Ward, Head of Employer Engagement and Resources at Apprenticeships at Salford City College, is delighted to celebrate National Apprenticeship Week this year. She said: “As a college, we have worked incredibly hard to build an apprenticeship function that meets the needs of both local people and employers. Our aim is to deliver apprenticeships which allow local people to develop skills which are needed by employers in the region. Feedback from our employers and apprentices is better than ever, I could not be prouder of our apprenticeship team.”
Tuesday 4th February sees the return of the annual apprenticeship awards to the college, a flagship event in the National Apprenticeship Week celebrations. Over 40 apprentices and 15 employers from across the region will be recognised by the college, providing a great opportunity to celebrate those most committed to apprenticeships. For more information on Apprenticeships at Salford City College, then contact the team on 0161 631 5000.
