8 minute read
Education & Training
WCG receives prestigious Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education in Engineering
WCG has been awarded The Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education in recognition of its work in the engineering sector.
The prestigious award recognises WCG for how it has developed future engineers through innovation and partnership over the last quarter of a century.
Angela Joyce, CEO of WCG, represented the College at a Prize Winners Reception held at St James Palace where the 2020-2022 Winners were announced.
WCG delivers engineering courses at three of its colleges, Warwick Trident College, Rugby College and Evesham College.
The college has established itself as a leading provider of engineering apprenticeships in the Midlands and across the UK. It was a pioneer of employer-centric educational provision, which is now being widely adopted by other institutions under the Government’s new skills strategy.
It has grown its engineering apprentice numbers from 40 in 1996 to 1,195 in 2021 and has placed a focus on working directly with major employers to ensure its provision matches the ever-changing needs of industry.
This has included creating bespoke training programmes for major companies including Jaguar Land Rover, AGCO, Royal Mail, Babcock, Alstom, Siemens and Telent.
It is now in a position to build on the success of its engineering full-time courses and apprenticeships and further its position in the Higher Education sector after becoming the first college group in the UK to gain Bachelor Degree Awarding Powers.
The Queen’s Anniversary Prize also recognised that 95 per cent of full-time students at the college successfully made it to their first-choice destination after leaving and in 2020, the college broke national records for end-point assessment pass rates for its landbased engineering apprentices.
If you and your business would like to work with WCG to recruit and train up apprentices, please get in touch with WCG’s Business Development Team: T: 0330 135 6940
E: employerenquiries@wcg.ac.uk
Supported interns benefitting from partnership with National Grid
A partnership between WCG and National Grid is helping students get ahead by gaining invaluable workplace experience and transferable skills as it enters its fifth year.
Three students at WCG have all started supported internships at the electricity and gas utility company’s Warwick office.
Olly, Dan and Ethan have already completed their first research project to develop their understanding of the business and wider industry. The trio presented their findings to National Grid management and to WCG’s Director of Schools, Re-engagement and SEND, Louise Ball.
The supported internships scheme at WCG is aimed at young people aged 16-25 who have learning difficulties and disabilities.
The partnership between the college’s supported learning team and National Grid grew out of the company’s EmployAbility programme – which aims at helping people with learning difficulties develop skills to gain paid employment.
National Grid and WCG’s partnership is now in its fifth year and Louise Ball says it has already helped many young people to reach their full potential: “This partnership has already secured paid employment for a number of previous interns and no doubt it will result in more successes in the future.”
WCG provides a dedicated job coach to support interns during their time with a company, which is government funded and free to the employer.
WCG is looking to partner with more businesses to help deliver supported internships and work experience.
Partnerships are being sought with businesses of all sizes and across a range of sectors, including catering, hospitality, customer services, office administration, warehousing, manufacturing, animal care, horticulture and more.
Employers interested in finding out more about supported internships and how they can support students into employment should email Dave Evans, Work Experience and Supported Internships Coordinator at WCG, on devans@wcg.ac.uk For more information, visit www.wcg.ac.uk/supportedinternships To find out about the EmployAbility programme, visit www.employabilityletsworktogether.com
Helping manufacturers and engineers overcome the skills crisis
Andrew Charlesworth (MTC) Hazel Pilling (Chamber), Tom Mongan (Chamber), Colin Bancroft (MTC)
A state-of-the-art training centre in the Midlands is supporting businesses to overcome the skills crisis by training the manufacturers and engineers of the future.
MTC Training is urging local manufacturing firms to future-proof their workforces through its targeted skills programmes. Based at the Advanced Manufacturing Training Centre (AMTC) at Ansty Park, the future-focused training provider is part of the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC).
The MTC’s training experts are already supporting over 200 apprentices as well as HNC learners whose skills will be invaluable to the UK’s engineering businesses as they progress into more advanced areas such as additive manufacturing and automation and robotics.
And, through a partnership with Lloyds Bank, MTC Training is also offering a range of free support to SMEs in the region in areas such as sustainability, health and safety, and innovation.
MTC Training is now looking to engage with more schools – including primaries in the area – to encourage children to explore a career in engineering.
Tom Mongan, the president of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, and Hazel Pilling, membership manager of the Chamber, paid a visit to the AMTC and will be supporting its efforts to help develop the skills for the future.
Colin Bancroft, regional manager, told them: “There are more STEM vacancies than there are people in the talent pool, so it’s a key issue for all manufacturers and engineers in the region, from the smallest SMEs right up to the major multinationals.
“We’re here to train those engineers of the future, and we forge strong relationships with the businesses we work with to make sure we’re creating a future workforce with the skills they need.
“Companies can come to us with an apprenticeship vacancy, and we will advertise it for them, run the selection process and then train the individual on their behalf – so it’s great news for both the business and for the individual.
“There’s no question that engineering is still not regarded highly enough by the vast majority of young people and, crucially, by their parents who help them to decide which career path to take.
“We want to work with more schools to inspire the next generation of potential engineers at a younger age by showcasing what an amazing and rewarding career engineering and manufacturing can provide.”
The MTC is also working with business across the region to help join up the local supply chain.
Tom Mongan said: “My background is in manufacturing, so I understand the great work that companies across our region do in this sector.
“I also know, only too well, the issues there are around skills and recruitment. That is why I was delighted to meet the MTC Training team so that we can work with them to help promote this incredible resource to businesses across our area.
“The MTC, in general, plays a major part in addressing many of the key issues that engineering businesses are facing right now – skills, sustainability and the supply chain – and I’d urge companies to get in touch with them to see how they can provide support.”
Partnership delivers training and employment opportunities
Coventry College, Coventry JCP staff and University Hospital Coventry & Warwickshire have been working in partnership to support local unemployed adults back into the workplace.
The college has supported the hospital’s Kickstart scheme since its launch, via its Next Steps hub, by delivering short employability programmes as part of a recruitment drive via sector gateway courses.
Charlotte Brooks, the Kickstart recruitment coordinator and UHCW, said: “Kickstart is an amazing opportunity for someone wanting to pursue a career within the NHS.
“We offer support, guidance and progression. Some candidates have gained full time employment with us as a result of their placement. The pre-course that Coventry College offers gives candidates the confidence and prepares them for a real work environment and interviews.
Craig Sexty Guest, Coventry Jobcentre business development lead, said: “As part of the government’s “Plan for Jobs”, sector-based work academy programmes are also proving a vital tool in offering unemployed young people a route into employment. Through pre-employment training, work experience and a guaranteed job interview, these academies offer a successful and unique approach to recruitment.
“Coventry Jobcentre is extremely proud to have built a successful partnership with Coventry College and University Hospital Coventry to offer the young people of Coventry & Warwickshire access to some amazing Kickstart jobs.”
Emma Ingram, head of employer engagement and sales at Coventry College, said: “We are so pleased to be working in partnership with Coventry JCP staff and the UHCW HR team in supporting Coventry’s unemployed adults regain confidence and self-belief after becoming unemployed after the effects of the recent pandemic. We have fantastic college staff ready to support referred JCP clients into new employment opportunities within various roles at UHCW and are proud to be part of their personal development journey.’’
Collaborate to Train project set to boost skills
A partnership between four of the Midlands’ major education providers will make it easier for businesses to access the support they need to develop a skilled workforce and build back better from the pandemic.
WCG (formerly Warwickshire College Group), Coventry College, Coventry University and Solihull College & University Centre/Stratford-upon-Avon College are the partner organisations behind Collaborate to Train Coventry and Warwickshire.
The Collaborate to Train project is supported by the European Social Fund and aims to improve the ways in which education providers, local authorities and other stakeholders work together with businesses to provide high-quality and effective education and training services in a more collaborative way.
Coventry City Council is also a partner in the scheme and alongside the four education providers is engaging with businesses to ensure that delivery is responsive to regional economic leads.
Collaborate to Train is now entering its second phase and the first phase engaged with more than 400 local businesses.
The consortium works together to help SMEs access the right training needed to support the future of their businesses. This includes accessing apprenticeships, work experience placements, supported internships and advising on effective school engagement.
James Lewit, head of projects at WCG, said: “The message from government is that education and business need to work closer together in order to overcome the current skills crisis.
“The Collaborate to Train project goal is to improve those links between business and education and break down barriers which may lead to some SMEs being discouraged to take advantage of the provision available.
“The partnership saw great success in the first phase and now has the foundations to press on and play a key role in the development of skilled individuals across Coventry and Warwickshire.”
