Following a successful campaign last year, the LEP encouraged even more businesses to get involved, and gain a unique insight into the positive impact that these schemes have on individuals and companies.
With participants ranging from Ely’s Town Mayor through to training providers and even the LEP’s own Chairman, the campaign emphasised the importance of apprenticeships, whilst giving offering participants the chance to try their hand at a new career.
This year, 16 people became apprentices for the day, along with Palm Paper Ltd, Olympus Automation Ltd, TRB Lightweight Structures Ltd, Watermill Accounting Ltd, Baker Perkins, and Addenbrookes Hospital (to name just a few), who took part to promote the value and range of apprenticeship opportunities across the LEP area.
Neil Darwin, Chief Executive of the LEP, said:
“Apprenticeships are a vital part of the local skills landscape, and have a symbiotic fit with the LEP’s overall skills strategy. Being able to go Back 2 the Floor has provided me and other members of the team with a far better insight into the world of apprenticeships than we otherwise would have had.
“Here at the LEP, we have our own Apprentice, who is a valuable part of our CPCA Growth Hub team. It is therefore good to see other local businesses embracing apprenticeships as a way to develop their workforce of the future. Apprenticeships are available in even more areas than ever before, and people can study up to degree level, making them an attractive way to develop new skills and gain a formal qualification whilst also getting hands on experience in the workplace.
Here is a list of all those who got involved, and pledged their time for National Apprenticeships Week:
- Lis Every, Ely Town Mayor, went Back 2 The Floor as a telesales apprentice at Whizzle Ltd, a fixings and installations business in Ely.
- Sue Addison from Skills Service, spent the day at Codem Composites in Huntingdon.
- Deirdre Fowler, Director of Nursing, Midwifery & Quality at Hinchingbrooke Hospital exchanged roles with Miriam, their youngest customer service apprentice on the wards.
- Michaela Eschbach from Form the Future CIC, went Back 2 The Floor as a finance apprentice at Watermill Accounting Ltd in Cambridge, shadowing their current apprentice, Sammy.
- Fiona and Adrian from the LEP went to Palm Paper Ltd in King’s Lynn, learning the art of paper-making.
- Jan Pinkerton from the Careers & Enterprise Agency spent a morning at Cross Keys Homes in Peterborough, shadowing their current office-based pre-apprentices.
- LEP Chairman Mark Reeve, went to Olympus Automation Ltd, learning about electrical apprenticeships in the food manufacturing industry.
- Ella Nott from Cross Keys Homes spent a day as a construction apprentice with Breheny.
- Peterborough Regional College Management Terry Jones and Greg Hanrahan went Back 2 The Floor at Perkins Engines.
- Opportunity Peterborough’s CEO, Steve Bowyer, learnt the ropes as a factory apprentice at Masteroast Coffee.
- LEP Skills Lead, Mark, went to Rutland Plastics, learning about plastic injection moulding.
- Roger Watson from Arthur Mellows Village College went to Baker Perkins, a food manufacturing company in Peterborough.
- LEP CEO, Neil Darwin, visited TRB Lightweight Structures in Huntingdon, learning about composites manufacturing for aircraft, train and motor industries.
- Huntingdonshire Regional College Principal, Susanne Stent, went to Addenbrookes Hospital, joining the current customer service apprentices in their busy customer contact centre.
There is a wealth of information about apprenticeships on the National Apprenticeship Week website, including guidance for businesses who are looking to hire or fund their first apprentice.
