St Helens College, has this year, secured an impressive 73.5% current overall achievement rate for its Apprenticeship provision, boasting a position of 7.8% above the national average.
Statistics published by the Department for Education and Skills Funding Agency highlighted a 67% overall National achievement rate for apprenticeships in 2015/16. St Helens College, which is the largest provider of apprenticeships for 16 – 18 year olds in the area, has boasted year on year growth in the number of students undertaking an apprenticeship as their preferred career pathway.
Jette Burford, Principal of St Helens College said, “Our dedicated team of staff place real value on partnership working with our employers and their apprentices to not only meet the needs of all, ensure best fit and maximise value but to exceed expectations.”
She added, “We are delighted with the results. The team have worked exceedingly hard alongside some incredibly talented Apprentices and their employers, over the last year, to ensure quality provision is delivered. It’s fantastic to see this reflected in the achievement rates for both overall and timely performance. St Helens College strives to provide employers with a high calibre of Apprentices that progress on to become highly-skilled, loyal and valued employees.”
With career progression opportunities up to degree level, and with hundreds of industry pathways available, apprenticeships have never been more attractive for those looking to launch their careers and gain a recognised qualification. Apprenticeships are a fantastic way of gaining on and off-the-job training through academic and practical work, earning money and getting a qualification all at the same time.
Apprentice Nathan Holland, aged 20, undertook an IT Apprenticeship with St Helens College, he highlighted the benefits of his apprenticeship saying, “I enjoyed my apprenticeship because it allowed me to tackle and overcome new challenges on a daily basis. I also got to work with industry leading professionals who I could learn so much from. With the skills and support I received at St Helens College I gained the confidence to progress into a higher apprenticeship with the Department for Work and Pensions.”
Collaborative working with employers across the Liverpool City Region has allowed the College to expand its range of apprenticeship vacancies, contributing to meeting skills shortages and demands of the current job market, helping to create a pipeline of skilled professionals. Matt Ainsworth, Apprenticeship Mentor at multi-billion pound global Engineering company, Thermo Fisher, said, “St Helens College played a key, pivotal role in our apprentice acquisitions. When we approached them, it was instantly clear to us that we had made the right decision in choosing St Helens College, as their experience and professionalism was apparent.”
For further information on our range of apprenticeships, or the support that we can provide to employers in recruiting apprentices, please visit www.sthelens.ac.uk