December - Somerset Chamber of Commerce

College News
Nearly 40 top apprentices and their employers have been celebrated at the second
annual Yeovil College and North Dorset Technical College
Apprenticeship Awards.
Apprentices from across Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire and Devon received awards in
24 categories, nearly double the number presented in 2011. Highlighting the range
of Apprenticeships available at the College, the awards included those for
Intermediate and Advanced courses in Carpentry, Plumbing, Business Administration,
Contact Centres, Customer Service, Health & Social Care, Childcare, Hairdressing, Professional Cookery,
Engineering, ICT and Print.
Guest speaker Rupert Cox, Chief Executive of Somerset Chamber
of Commerce, spoke of the key relationship between training
providers, employers and apprentices which makes
Apprenticeships work and the importance of having a good
attitude in the workplace and seizing progression opportunities.
He said “Thank you the employers for investing in young people.
We know you need the right staff to do the roles required to make
your business more profitable. We are very lucky that some of the
best colleges in England are here in Somerset and that Yeovil
College is part of a great network of training providers.”
www.yeovil.ac.uk
Great Success for Somerset Training Providers
This month has seen the completion of the latest 100 Day
Apprentice Campaign across the county, and what a success it
has been! In 100 days the teams have recruited 702 new
apprentices in the important 16-24 age bracket, far exceeding
any expectation. They have also exceeded the record breaking 515 apprentices recruited in the first campaign.
The training providers include Richard Huish College, Somerset College, Bridgwater College, Yeovil College, Strode
College, Somerset Skills and Learning and Acacia Training, all helped and supported by the Employment and
Skills Board, the National Apprentice Service and the Somerset Chamber and FSB.
The group has been led by Graham Knight from Strode College and Vice Chair of the Somerset Chamber. Graham
says “This has been a fantastic result and I am very proud of the way we have really opened opportunity and
changed lives. But although the campaign ends now the apprentice drive does not! Any local training provider will
be glad to still hear from businesses wanting to get involved, or they can contact me direct to help them along the
way”
Yeovil College Director of Employer Engagement and fellow Somerset board member Tim Hunt said “When we
took part in the first 100 day long Apprenticeship campaign three years ago, we could never have imagined the
impact it and its successors would have. Grow Somerset Talent has met and greatly exceeded in its aim of
creating 100 new Apprenticeship opportunities, while its reach in terms of how many more people have learned
about this sort of training is immeasurable. We hope that both students and members of the Somerset Chamber
feel much better informed about the range and benefits of apprenticeship training.”
Contact Graham: Call 01458 844476 or email gknight@strode-college.ac.uk
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