Staffordshire’s leading college promotes National Apprenticeship Week 2023 in iconic American school bus
Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group (NSCG) will once again tour schools across Staffordshire in an iconic 42ft American school bus to celebrate National Apprenticeship Week 2023.
In support of National Apprenticeship Week (NAW), which runs from the 6-12 of February 2023, NSCG will be hosting a range of activities and events during their school visits to promote their apprenticeship programmes, as well as on campus events and activities for college learners who may be considering an apprenticeship when they progress from their current course.
Embarking on January 30 through to Wednesday 8 February and visiting a total of 23 local schools, there’ll be talks from big local employers including DJH Mitten Clark and Capula, interactive activities and fun quizzes with the Work Based Learning team and prizes up for grabs through a brand new TikTok competition.
Pupils from years 10 and 11 will also benefit from hearing from current apprentices and will find out how an apprenticeship can equip them with future-ready skills, and the team from NSCG’s Apprenticeship Hub will also be on hand throughout the tour to share what makes a successful apprenticeship application and answer any questions.
Jane Tunnicliff, Group Head of Employer Engagement and Training, said: “Apprenticeships give learners the best of both worlds, allowing them to earn a wage and develop a career alongside studying for a nationally recognised qualification.
“They allow students to put their learning into practice straight away and climb that career ladder faster; we can’t wait to speak to students during National Apprenticeships Week about the benefits of apprenticeships at NSCG.”
Among the activities being hosted is a talk from HR apprentice Melissa Booth. She is currently studying a Business Administration apprenticeship at NSCG after taking a gap from education and training.
She said: “I went to my high school’s sixth form until 2015 and then went into full-time work during a gap year that eventually turning into seven years.
“I chose to study an apprenticeship as I wanted a career change and wanted to work towards gaining a qualification after being out of education for so long. I felt doing it this way would give me a deeper understanding of the industry and be a great way to gain skills in a field I had never worked in previously.
“The idea of ‘earn as you learn’ also really appealed,” added Melissa, aged 25, “as did the fact there are no tuition fees to pay so knowing I am working towards becoming qualified in HR without any debt feels really good and I would recommend an apprenticeship to anyone.”
The theme for #NAW2023 is Skills for Life, focusing on how apprenticeships can help individuals to develop the skills and knowledge required for a rewarding career.
Now in its 16th year, the week acts an opportunity to showcase all of the exciting careers an apprenticeship could lead to from bricklaying, carpentry and engineering all the way through to business, childcare and digital skills, including higher-level degree apprenticeship programmes.
NSCG currently works with around 850 of the region’s largest employers and companies and has more than 200 live apprenticeship vacancies on its website.
To find out more visit nscg.ac.uk/apprenticeships
Responses