UK Business Secretary Vince Cable has announced that the government has fulfilled its commitment to starting two million apprenticeships in this Parliament. This important achievement highlights the continued success of apprenticeships since 2010 in giving people the skills they need to get on and in supporting businesses of all sizes to grow their talent. To mark the occasion, the Business Secretary met the 2 millionth apprentice, Paige McConville in Oxford. Paige, aged 16, began her Advanced Apprenticeship in Engineering Manufacture with high-tech engineering firm, FMB Oxford in August 2014.
Business Secretary Vince Cable said: This isn’t just about numbers. From space engineering, to TV production, to legal services, apprenticeships are the ticket to a great job and a route employers trust to access the skills they need.
FMB Oxford is a medium sized business (57 employees) making high tech scientific equipment used to create very accurate beams of X-rays. These are used in a variety of different fields of engineering including genetic sequencing and testing materials. Around 90% of the equipment they produce is for export to markets including Germany, the US and Singapore. There’s never been a better time to be an apprentice as there are more high quality apprenticeship places available with quality employers in England than ever before. The ‘Get In. Go Far’ campaign aims to inspire young people to consider an apprenticeship and benefit from the opportunity to earn while they learn, in some cases up to degree level. By ‘getting in’ with an employer they will be able to ‘go far’ in their chosen career and learn the skills employers want. The creative idea behind the campaign is to lift the lid and showcase the range of roles by featuring real apprentices. For more information please visit: www.apprenticeships.gov.uk
Here, at SETA we are delighted at the news that the milestone apprenticeship was in engineering field – our field of expertise. We were always encouraging more girls into engineering and hopefully a spotlight on Paige McConville will raise the awareness of apprenticeships as a potential career route for female engineers.
If you would like to know more about engineering apprenticeships and if it is a right career choice for you, please call us or visit our training centre in Stockport.