Weston College apprenticeship numbers soar

Weston College has reported an upsurge in the number of apprenticeships it is arranging.

According to the Collge In October it helped to fill 35 vacancies, a 120 per cent increase on the same time last year and a record.

The areas of business administration and hospitality are particularly busy, with more vacancies cropping up every day.

In addition, Weston College has taken on 10 apprentices of its own in various roles.

James Wilmot, Weston College’s Apprenticeship Recruitment Co-ordinator, comments: “We’ve worked very hard over the last 12 months to improve the recruitment rate and that work has really paid off.

“Vacancies are increasing all the time and show no signs of slowing down. The good thing is that these are not ‘low grade’ jobs that have no worth.

“They are with strongly-performing companies committed to the training and development of all their staff, including apprentices, which shows the calibre of companies we are working with.”

Employers include North Somerset Council and Weston Area Health Trust, along with a wide variety of restaurants, hotels, garages, hair and beauty salons and estate agents.

Emily Taylor, 18, from Milton, is currently working as an Apprentice Receptionist and Business Administrator at Weston College’s Business and Enterprise Centre (BEC) in Locking Road.

She comments: “I see the apprenticeship as a platform for what I’d like to do in the future. I’d like to be a PA. For now, this is a fantastic way of gaining work experience and qualifications at the same time. You’re given a lot of support and I can’t recommend it highly enough.”