Today we are in Hale Leys Shopping centre discussing #apprenticeships with passers-by.
Future Centre
Last night the Government confirmed an incentive of a £1,500 Apprenticeship Grant for Employers of 16 to 24 year olds. More details are on our website www.atg-training.co.uk
CEO Ian Harper will be on the radio today discussing the current issues pertaining to apprenticeships. The following stations will carry the message.
If you are in the High Wycombe area, come and see us at the Job Centre Apprenticeship Fair being held in the AMF Bowling Centre from 2pm to 4pm this afternoon. We’ll be able to answer all your Apprenticeship-related questions and discuss our current vacancies with you.
See you there!
Chief Executive Ian Harper was recently asked to comment on the youth unemployment figures by the BBC and Independent radio stations across the country.
The media were keen to counterpoint the potentially gloomy figures with the success story of Apprenticeships, especially in light of the UK Government’s support for vocational training in general. ATG Training were approached to provide depth to the story.
The link below is to the BBC Oxford interview which aired during the evening drive time during December 2011.
Director of Learning and Skills
Just got back from viewing some of our students’ engineering presentations. It’s very inspiring to see another generation of students adding real value to their employers through vocational products. What struck me was a theme for productivity improvement. Most projects involve an improvement in efficiency or a reduction of waste. These are real savings that will improve their employers’ bottom lines. It’s the best possible advert for proper vocational training: theory complementing practical application. Programmes that deliver real, measurable benefits during and after the course. Well done to the students. They are proving themselves to be valuable assets to their employers and great ambassadors for a technical career. Goodness knows the sector needs them.
Sterling Engine demonstration
“It’s not easy being green” a colleague says this morning. Wrong. It is easy.
Director of Learning and Skills
Not to abandon private cars, holidays or the other life-changing things – they are difficult for most. But to turn a light off, shut down a computer, turn the heating down a degree, empty your car boot of rubbish, drive 5mph slower? Easy.
These are all marginal changes that accumulate to major savings and help the environment. And none of them impinge upon personal freedoms or cause any great inconvenience.
ATG occupies a large, air-conditioned, well-lit building. It needs to if it is to provide comfortable premises suitable for its excellent courses. We will work to reduce our energy consumption this year. By every one of 82 staff making their own marginal saving. We can feel proud of the environmental impact and share in the financial benefit.
Director of Learning and Skills
ATG’s Board of Trustees have recently approved investment in new CNC machinery for the engineering programme. This new equipment will give businesses the opportunity to train and practice on modern machining equipment supported by the latest CAD/CAM software. With short and medium-length courses available, ATG is able to meet many business’ needs for training.
ATG’s unique selling point is its responsiveness. We are not tied to academic cycles or set delivery patterns. Employers can talk to us at any time about training and learning programmes. Our longer-term programmes such as apprenticeships and NVQs can be delivered in a pattern and over a timeframe suited to the employer. Our shorter courses run regularly and our modern training centre opens evenings and weekends if employers prefer to train outside of productive hours. As a not-for-profit organisation, we take pride in re-investing our surpluses to the benefit of employers and learners. Come and visit us to see the fantastic accommodation and training facilities we have as a result of that re-investment.
Director of Learning and Skills
I’ve had a look at the Conservatives’ plans for education in their first 100 days in power should they win the next election. Michael Gove is the Shadow Education Secretary and most of his announcement concerns their plans for aspects of the schools system but work-based learning is a high priority in the latest education policy Paper from the Party.
Lord Baker was interviewed in the Times Ed last week and reflected on the fact that when he was first appointed Education Secretary by Margaret Thatcher, he was given a couple of months to go away and think about what he wanted to do. It isn’t like that now. Incoming Ministers are expected to hit the ground running with new policies and ideas. I suspect it’s not just me that is nervous of rushed policy being bad policy. For something as important as education, I would be more comfortable knowing that good minds had carefully considered what will impact on the lives of the next generation of young people. We have had two decades of continuous change in education: Curricula, standards and examinations have changed constantly since the introduction of GCSEs twenty years ago. There are many young people out there who are or were guinea pigs for the latest educational fad. Employers are confused by the array of qualifications and grades now available and find it difficult to differentiate between candidates for jobs as a result.
Whatever changes to the school system materialise, they must prepare young people for employment. It cannot be right that numeracy and literacy deficiencies have to be addressed in apprenticeships when apprentices will have already had at least eleven years of mandatory schooling. Why are some young people leaving school with good grades but not able to apply their knowledge in employment? I hope that whatever the colour of the new government, they think carefully about what they will change, adopt a long term, stable approach and ensure that employers’ needs are considered and catered for. That is the only way to ensure that future generations of young people are developed to enter rewarding careers appropriate to their ability and subject expertise.
One final observation: Diplomas were notable by their absence……
Director of Commercial Development
I have been out and about recently and one of the conferences I attended was from LSIS (Learning and Skills Improvement Service) normally at conferences I am itching to go at lunch time conscious of the work I have back at the office, however this one I was gripped.
The title was “Embracing Innovation” and being a secret geek that got me all fired up. I realised very early on that even though we are pushing on with our e-strategy, we have still a very long way to go. I started asking myself a lot of questions.
Anyway enough blogging, and back to my Blackberry for some bite sized learning experiences.
Matt
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