Nine Foundation Apprentices showed off how much of an asset they could be to employers by delivering a presentation recently.
The Antonine Suite at the Falkirk Campus was the venue for the FA Accountancy Employer Information Session, which attracted professionals from firms such as Zoolab, Ceteris, Drummond Laurie and KM Soft.
Ryan John, MacPhee, Aidan Kellock and Max Gemmell, all from Bo'ness Academy, Sara Hendry and Regane Lade both from Larbert High School Aimee Howarth from Braes High School, Flynn Cribb from Falkirk High, Cameron Murphy and Paul Murphy both from Alva Academy and Toni Philp from Alloa Academy were the students involved.
The event was an opportunity for employers to find out more about the FA Accountancy framework and how a major component of a Foundation Apprenticeship is the sector specific work-based learning.
Jennifer Hogarth, Curriculum Manager in Forth Valley College’s Department of Business and Communities, said: “The involvement of local employers is a critical aspect of our FA framework as it provides learners with appropriate work-based opportunities to enable them to develop their learning and skills. The event held at the Falkirk Campus was about securing the support of employers and beginning to match up young people to employers for their work placement experience.
“We can’t thank them enough for coming along and finding out more about FAs and how Forth Valley College students could become assets for their organisations.”
Helen Young, Forth Valley College’s Head of Learning and Quality, added: “We are delighted to be building strong, sustainable partnerships with employers like these and look forward to working closely with them in the future.
“We are delighted to be offering senior school pupils the opportunity to study for a Foundation Apprenticeship qualification. Forth Valley College is already a leading provider of Modern Apprenticeships and it is a great fit for us to add these new programmes to our diverse portfolio.
“The qualifications are an excellent starting point for young people who would like to move into a Modern Apprenticeship, Graduate Apprenticeship, further or higher education or employment, when they leave school and will give them an even greater chance of landing the role they are looking for. The skills they develop will be highly valued by employers and the pupils will get the opportunity to gain valuable and relevant work experience.”
Foundation Apprenticeships (FAs) are available at FVC in a range of subjects from Social Services and Healthcare to Children and Young People and from Business Skills to Engineering.
Foundation Apprenticeships have been developed by SDS in partnership with employers, colleges and Sector Skills Councils to create stronger links between education and industry.
They combine academic learning with hands-on skills to develop the knowledge, skills and work experience that will help to broaden options for students, enabling them to go on to complete a Modern Apprenticeship (MA), attend college or university or go directly into employment.
The innovative frameworks are based on the success of existing MA qualifications. Pupils will embark on the programmes in S5 with the duration varying depending on the subject area. Pupils will spend time undertaking hands-on learning at college and with a training provider and also benefit from high quality work experience with local employers such as the Stirling and Clackmannanshire Councils, the Prudential and other local business partners.
For more information on Foundation Apprenticeships at FVC and the application process, please contact schools.co-ordinator@forthvalley.ac.uk or call 01324 403211.
