Local employer backs Apprenticeships

Local employer, Signability, is in full support of Apprenticeships after employing an Apprentice through Newcastle-under-Lyme College (NULC).

Signability employed creative Apprentice Esther Moore last year to bring fresh ideas and new design thinking into the company.  The result has been improved business performance and a valuable team member.

Adrian Wakefield, Director at Signability said: “We wanted to bring fresh ideas into our company and we wanted somebody that we could train from the ground up.”

Adrian continued: “Employing Esther has given us increased productivity which puts us in a better position to win contracts.”

Esther aged 19 from Tunstall completed a BTEC in Art and Design prior to her Apprenticeship and describes her motivations for becoming an Apprentice: “I felt that I would benefit more from getting hands on job experience and that it would give me a better chance of employment.”

Esther continued: “Since completing my Apprenticeship, Signability have employed me as a full time Assistant Designer.”

NULC currently provides Apprenticeships in more than a dozen areas including Accounting, Business and Administration, Construction, Childcare, Creative Studies,Electrical Installation, Engineering, Hairdressing, Health and Social Care, Retail and IT.

Signability is a Signmaking, Graphic Design and Print business based in Hanford and is one of over 400 businesses across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent who work with the College to provide Apprenticeship placements.  Giving advice to other businesses considering employing an Apprentice, Adrian said: “Embrace it and don’t be afraid to give someone a chance.”

On Friday 15th March NULC launched an ambitious campaign to recruit 100 Apprenticeship opportunities in 100 days targeting Newcastle-under-Lyme businesses and young people. 

To find out more about Newcastle-under-Lyme College’s apprenticeships and how you can support the 100 in 100 campaign visit www.nulc.ac.uk/employer or contact the Employer Training team on 01782 254376.

Employers show commitment to College Apprenticeships campaign

Newcastle-under-Lyme College (NULC) has hailed the launch of its 100 in 100 Apprenticeship campaign a success.

The event took place on Friday 15 March at the College’s £60 million campus on Knutton Lane, with over 50 employers from across Newcastle-under-Lyme attending the event.

Vicky Boulton-Clarke, Head of Employer Engagement at NULC, said: “I was really impressed with the turnout of local employers to the launch event.  We saw a significant number of employers from new businesses including estate agents, schools and doctors surgeries, who were all keen to find out more about how Apprenticeships can be a viable employment solution for their businesses.”

The Newcastle-under-Lyme 100 in 100 Campaign is targeting employers and young people across Newcastle-under-Lyme.  The College and partners aim to hit the target by recruiting both employers to provide Apprenticeship vacancies and young people to start an Apprenticeship.

Debra Swann, from Northwood Estate Agents attended the event , Debra said: “The event was really useful with lots of really good information about Apprentices.”   She continued: “It was also good to hear of Apprenticeship success stories from other local employers.”

Adrian Wakefield from Signability already employs an apprentice through the College at his sign making, graphic design and print business in Hanford.  Adrian said: “Employing an Apprentice has meant that we were better placed to win contracts and it has led to improved business efficiency.”

The ambitious campaign launched during National Apprenticeships Week will run until 22 June 2013.  The campaign has already seen a number of local employers pledging their support including Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council, Paul Farrelly MP, TK Maxx, Appointments Personnel, Martec Training, Care Match and Options Management.

If you are interested in employing an apprentice or would like to find out more about the range of business services available at Newcastle-under-Lyme College, contact the Employer Engagement Team on 01782 254376 or email employers@nulc.ac.uk.

College vows ‘100 Apprenticeships in 100 days’

 Newcastle-under-Lyme College (NULC) and partners are launching an ambitious campaign to recruit 100 new apprentices in 100 days.  The Newcastle-under-Lyme 100 in 100 Campaign is targeting employers and young people across Newcastle-under-Lyme.  The College and partners aim to hit the target by recruiting both employers to provide Apprenticeship vacancies and young people to start an Apprenticeship.

The ambitious campaign will launch on Friday 15 March, at the College’s Knutton Lane campus during National Apprenticeships Week and run until 22 June 2013.  Over 2,000 employers from Newcastle-under-Lyme have been invited to the event which will feature talks from industry experts and aims to provide local employers with the accurate and impartial advice.

Visitors to the launch event will benefit from talks from
•    Paul Farrelly MP for Newcastle-under-Lyme, who is spearheading the campaign.
•    Vicky Boulton-Clarke Head of Employer Engagement at NULC, who will provide local employers with an overview of the campaign and the services available to local businesses.
•    Joanne Bradburn from Barclays Banks PLC, who will introduce their campaign, The Big Conversation, to encourage business banking customers to take on an Apprentice
•    Local employer Kerry Bonfiglio-Bains, who will talk employers through her experience of employing an Apprentice through NULC.

The College currently works with over 400 employers across Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire but found that the number of apprentices employed by businesses within the Newcastle-under-Lyme borough was significantly lower than other areas.

Vicky Boulton-Clarke commented: “With that in mind, the College has launched the 100 in 100 campaign to raise the awareness of Apprenticeships across Newcastle-under-Lyme.  We will be specifically targeting employers in Newcastle-under-Lyme, encouraging them to pledge their support to the campaign and improving the employment prospects for young people in the borough.”

In addition, the College in partnership with local training provider Martec, the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS), Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council and the Stoke and Staffordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) will try and address the youth unemployment issues locally.

Vicky added: “With skills shortages across UK businesses, Apprenticeships deliver skills designed around your business needs providing the skilled workers you need for the future.  Apprenticeships can also help you develop the specialist skills you need to keep pace with the latest technology and working practices in your sector.” 

Paul Farrelly MP has already pledged his support to the campaign by writing to businesses in his constituency inviting them to the launch event.  Paul said: “I’m delighted to be working with such a proactive education establishment as Newcastle-under-Lyme College.  The driving force of the campaign is to encourage local businesses to find out more about Apprenticeships and the real business benefits in order to tackle the skills shortages in the area and the wider unemployment issues.  The 100 in 100 campaign can benefit both local employers and youngsters alike and I would urge local employers no matter what your industry to come along to the launch event.”

If you are interested in attending the launch event on Friday 15 March or would like further information about Apprenticeships contact the Employer Engagement Team on 01782 254376 or email employers@nulc.ac.uk.