Apprenticeships

What are apprenticeships?

Apprenticeships are designed to make your organisation as effective, productive and competitive as it can be. Apprentices strive to achieve a high level of competency by learning and practicing new skills, which in turn, can help to boost the performance of your company.

As employees, apprentices work alongside experienced staff to gain job-specific skills, and also receive training with a local college, usually on a day release basis. This differs from the Train to Gain initiative which is conducted entirely within the workplace.

Over 180 different Apprenticeship frameworks are available across 80 different industry sectors, which means there is a highly significant chance that there is a place for an apprentice within your business. Over 130,000 businesses offer Apprenticeships in England alone, and they generally fall into one of two categories:

Apprenticeships (equivalent to GCSE level)
Advanced Apprenticeships (equivalent to A-levels)

Apprenticeships usually last at least a year and apprentices work toward an NVQ at Level 2. They acquire Key skills in the workplace, have a day release in college and eventually receive a technical certificate.

Advanced Apprenticeships usually last two years and apprentices work towards a National Vocational Qualification at Level 3, Key Skills and a technical certificate.

You can view the Rochdale Apprenticeship brochure online here.

Apprenticeships Sectors

How can apprenticeships help you?

They can increase your business’s productivity which in turn will impact on your bottom line...

Orchard Skills Centre official opening

Orchard Skills Centre on Drake Street, Rochdale was officially opened on 23rd February, with a ceremonial ribbon-cutting by the Mayor and Mayoress, Councillor Keith Swift and Ms Sue Etchells.

Orchard Training Solutions; Hopwood Hall College’s Employer Engagement Arm developed the skills centre after the government launched the Response to Redundancy (R2R) initiative in mid 2009. The aim of the project is to help individuals who are unemployed or at risk of redundancy and make training available so they can broaden their skill range and increase their employability.

The College’s Vice-Principal for Finance & Corporate Services, John Spindler, and the College’s Vice-Principal for Skills, Dr O J Rahim, members of the College executive, local government representatives, partners, tutors and students attended.

The opening provided an opportunity for the many organisations who work with the skills centre to meet and celebrate the successes that the project has enjoyed so far.

Jane McAuley, R2R Project Co-ordinator said: “In just a short space of time since the skills centre opened in early November, we’ve already had learners who have completed training courses, secured job interviews and accepted job offers. In an area of high unemployment like Rochdale, this is a fantastic achievement.”

Siobhan Probert of Syke, a former hairdresser, had been unemployed for several months when she called in to the skills centre to enquire about the training opportunities available. Siobhan said: “The staff at the skills centre were friendly and really helpful. I wanted to get into office work and they put me on the office skills course followed by basic and intermediate IT. I got help updating my CV and was back in employment within 2 months of contacting them. I’d recommend anyone who is in my situation to contact the skills centre.”