National Apprenticeship Week is an annual celebration of apprenticeships, bringing the whole apprenticeship community together to celebrate the impact of apprenticeships on individuals, employers and the economy.

This year, National Apprenticeship Week took place from the 4th to the 8th of March, and the Apprenticeships Team at Keele University coordinated several events throughout the week.

In the run up to National Apprenticeship Week, on the evening of the 28th February the team collaborated with Higher Horizons+ to host employers, students, parents and advisors at ‘Degree and Higher Apprenticeships Explained Evening’, which saw around 90 people come to Keele Hall to find out more about apprenticeships.

On Wednesday March 6th the Apprenticeship Team were invited along with other senior providers of apprenticeship training to the Royal Stoke University Hospital, to both celebrate National Apprenticeship Week and raise awareness of the Higher and Degree Apprenticeships that Keele offers to the staff of UHNM.

Huw Morgan, Business Engagement Manager within the Apprenticeships Team, which is part of the Keele Institute for Innovation and Teaching Excellence, commented:

“It was a wonderful experience, as our apprenticeship team spoke candidly with current and prospective apprentices, members of the public, and with senior NHS decision makers who felt the apprentices with Keele make outstanding advocates for the work we all do.”

On Thursday March 7th the Apprenticeships Team from Keele joined major local employers to spend the day at Stoke Sixth Form College, to meet students and answer questions about Higher and Degree apprenticeships. The event was extremely well attended with a constant flow of eager students looking to progress their studies to higher and degree level, particularly intrigued by the apprenticeship route.

National Apprenticeship Week 2019 concluded at Keele with a visit from Jack Brereton, MP for Stoke South. Jack spoke to a number of current and former apprentices within the Keele workforce, and found out more about the development opportunities apprenticeships offer across a variety of career stages.

Jack spoke of our apprentices as pioneers, driving forward the desire to earn and learn at the same time, contributing to an increase in productivity in the local economy and the country at large.

Image: MP Jack Brereton with some of Keele University's current apprentices

Lou Taylor-Murison, Development Manager (Engaged & Experiential Learning) within the Keele Institute for Innovation and Teaching Excellence commented:

“Apprenticeships are a great opportunity to develop knowledge and skills and enhance them through applying them in work. Our apprentices make an extremely valuable contribution to both our programmes and their workplaces”.

The Apprenticeships Team within KIITE works in consultation with employers to develop the apprenticeship package that best suits their needs. Following the launch of the Nursing Associate Apprenticeship in September 2018, and the Senior Leader Apprenticeship in February 2019, a number of new apprenticeship programmes will launch in September 2019 including Degree level apprenticeships for Data Scientists and Registered Nurses and Advanced Clinical Practitioner at Masters level. We plan to develop our Degree and Higher Apprenticeship portfolio with employers in the future. Find out more.