Schools must do more to promote apprenticeships, says expert

Schools need to do more to promote apprenticeships, an industry leader told staff and sixth formers at a Wiltshire school during National Apprenticeship Week this week (February 6-10).

David Willett, Director of the PDS Group, a national apprenticeship consultancy which helps businesses plan and design apprenticeship programmes that will match their skills needs, told his audience at St John´s School in Marlborough: “ We feel that many schools overlook the very real benefits of apprenticeships when advising their sixth formers on career paths, so I was delighted to have the opportunity to talk to the 6th formers at St John’s about the way apprenticeships work today.

“Apprenticeship Week is all about promoting the value of apprenticeships and letting people know how wide the range and opportunities are today.

“There is real choice out there and an apprenticeship can give you a job, a qualification and very good career start with many top companies.

“We always find there is huge enthusiasm and interest amongst students when apprenticeships are explained to them and we hope that more schools will follow the St John’s example.”

David spoke to a large group of students, including 16 year-old Tom Daubney who is applying to take up an apprenticeship after he completes his sixth form studies.

Accompanying David was former St John’s student Lucy Wiltshire who left school in 2009 with three A-levels.

She explained how she had intended to go to university but instead she successfully applied to become a Higher Level Apprentice at Vodafone, a choice which she has never regretted.

Pictured: John Bowkett of St John´s School, apprentice Lucy Wiltshire, sixth form student Tom Daubney and David Willett from PDS.