A Pre-apprenticeship programme at Forth Valley College has helped nearly every student on the course into a full-time position.
The programme was set up last August (2016) to accommodate an overspill of applicants in relation to Modern Apprenticeship (MA) places last year and the move gave the nine candidates the opportunity to follow the first Year MA programme and then reapply for an apprenticeship.
Each Pre-apprentice completed an NC in Electrical, Mechanical or Measurement and Control Engineering along with an SVQ Level 2 in Performing Engineering Operations.
Forth Valley College’s Business Development Department also worked with some of their industry partners and managed to secure work experience for all of the pre-apprentices during the Easter break and eight out of the nine which started the course, has now secured an MA. Due to the success of the course it is expected to be run again next year at the Falkirk Campus.
The class were: Josh Rae (19) from Denny, who has secured an Electrical MA with Ross-shire Engineering, Martin Allan (19) from Dunblane who has secured a Mechanical MA with UCP, Ryan Hart (19) from Stirling, who has secured a Mechanical MA with WGM Engineering, Chris Inglis (17) from Larbert, who has secured an Electrical MA with WGM Engineering, Owen Cowan (19) from Grangemouth, who has secured a Mechanical MA with WGM Engineering, Damien Mackinnon (18) from Grangemouth, who has secured a Manufacturing MA with Premier Hytemp, Dylan Donald (18) from Stirling, who has secured a Manufacturing MA with Alexander Dennis Ltd, Jake Binnie (26) from Stirling, who has secured a MA with SSE in Instrument and Control and Jordan Rodger (19) from Bo’ness, who has interviews set up and FVC are hopeful he will secure an MA soon.
Lorraine Kerr, FVC Business Development Partner, said: “Working with the Pre-apprentice group has been a very rewarding experience. It’s great to see these young people progress onto positive destinations. Most of them have now secured a Modern Apprenticeship, some had specific employers they wanted to work with since the beginning of the programme, so this has been a great outcome for them. As a few of the candidates have an MA with some of the employers I work with, I will be able to work with them all the way to the end of their apprenticeship journey and hopefully into permanent employment.”
Lorna Allison, FVC’s MA Manager (INEOS), said: “The Pre-apprentices have met and overcome a number of challenges throughout the year and are now armed with skills which they will be able to develop further during their apprenticeships. These apprenticeships are well deserved, and I look forward to seeing them around college when they attend day release to complete HNC level studies”.
FVC are currently recruiting for this course and anticipate a high level of interest. There are limited places available so please express interest early by contacting Lorraine Kerr on 01324 403312 or lorraine.kerr@forthvalley.ac.uk or Lorna Allison on 01324 403177 or lorna.allison@forthvalley.ac.uk