Strengthening relationships between Businesses, Training Providers and Schools

By Duncan Newman, Economic Development Officer

It’s been a busy few weeks for the Going for Growth team! At the end of September I met up with Rob Palmer, Deputy Head of The Grange School, Bryony Leonard and Keziah Hayes from Pearson (BTEC Providers) and the group of employers supporting the delivery of the BTEC Level 3 in Engineering which will be delivered in schools across Christchurch from September 2018.

Pearson is the BTEC course provider and employers were presented with the course content recently revised to meet the new Apprenticeship Standards.

Bryony Leonard, Pearson, presents the revised course content to employers

The Engineering sector has a skills shortage in the local area. The BTEC level 3 course offers students access to a high quality progression route into Engineering at a higher level and provides them with direct link to local employers.

A couple of days later, I was at Ferndown Upper School with Kimi Bothamley, Head of Physics and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Co-ordinator, supporting the school’s first Careers in STEM Event.

More than twenty employers, career advice services and training providers attended the event to discuss training and career opportunities with students from Years 11, 12 and 13.

(L-R) Freya Kendall – Apprentice, Skills and Learning BDP, Sophie McLaren – Apprentice – Christchurch and East Dorset Councils, and Sarah Rice – Curriculum Manager, Skills and Learning BDP

And finally, last week we hosted two Apprenticeship Levy Update Seminars at QE School, Wimborne and Curtiss-Wright, Bournemouth Airport.

The events were well attended by employers (both were oversubscribed) who learned more about the Apprenticeship Scheme and the impact the Apprenticeship Levy has had on businesses since it was introduced earlier this year.

There were presentations from representatives from Bournemouth and Poole College and Skills and Learning BDP and we also heard from apprentices currently on apprenticeships locally.

(L-R) Bruno Smith – HR Director at Curtiss-Wright, Cllr Nick Greay, Mayor of Christchurch, Kevin Riament, Senior Vice President, Curtiss-Wright

The seminar at Curtiss Wright was opened by Kevin Rayment Senior Vice President of Curtiss-Wright and the Mayor of Christchurch, Councillor Nick Geary who, himself, completed an apprenticeship before setting up his own engineering business.

I was very pleased with the success of the Going for Growth events recently. I am very grateful to all the businesses, training providers and others involved, all those who delivered at the events and those who attend.

It’s been a great few weeks and I look forward to welcoming you to our Going for Growth events in the future