A brand-new project headed up by the college has been launched to encourage the uptake of apprentices and number of apprenticeships being offered across the area of the former Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough Local Area Enterprise (GCGP LEP).
The Target Apprenticeships project is funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) and has brought a project value of £2.7 million to the local area.
The college are leading the project, working in partnership with other colleges; Cambridge Regional College, Peterborough Regional College and West Suffolk College as well as Steadfast Training, Form the Future CIC, Edge Partnership and Cambridge University Institute of Continuing Education.
The project will focus on taking a three-pronged approach to promote apprenticeship provision across the area to support employers, people seeking apprenticeship opportunities, and schools and colleges.
Susie Massen, Project Manager for the ESF and Work-based Projects at the college, said:
‘This is an exciting opportunity for businesses, schools and potential apprentices to gain a better understanding of the apprenticeship programme and how it will enhance skills and build careers. We and our partners are very excited to be launching this new ESF project.’
One focus area will be to target those who want to become apprentices and removing any barriers that are stopping them to achieve this goal, while another will target business who are employing less than 250 employees and who have not had an apprentice in the last three years.
College Principal, David Pomfret, said:
‘We are delighted to be leading the launch of the ESF-backed project, which aims to target growth in the apprenticeship provision throughout the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority Area. The productive partnership that exist between employers, apprentices and education and training providers are vital to the growth of our economy and increasing skills development across the area.’
David Pomfret with college apprentice, Vanessa Wallis.
Lastly, the project aims to encourage future apprentices by providing careers advice, guidance and support. The partnership is working with a number of education providers to work closely with businesses to focus on raising the profile of apprenticeships and the degree and career opportunities available through the apprenticeship route.
For more information on how the partnership could help your business or if you are currently looking for an apprenticeship, or you would like more information on how an apprenticeship could help you in the future, please contact: