Thanks to Suzanne and Alan Whitewood for this latest news. Ed
Last week Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg officially launched a new drive to showcase the creative talents of apprentices and highlight their contribution to some of the country’s most well-respected exports, goods and services at a London reception.
‘Made by Apprentices’ will go on to recognise the contribution of apprentices around the country, by asking them to put their names to their handiwork.
In a wider campaign, employers across the country have joined together to highlight the productivity of apprentices and encourage more businesses to offer Apprenticeships.
Apprenticeship event
On the Island, training providers and businesses offering Apprenticeships hosted an event at Albert Cottage, East Cowes which was supported by the National Apprenticeship Service.
Through the day there were workshops for employers and key partners, post-16 young people, pre-16 students and parents and carers. A number of speakers gave talks and presentations about apprenticeships and what being an apprentice entails.
Inspiring presentation
Louis Attrill, the Island’s Olympic gold medallist in rowing spoke on ‘Your Aspirations’. In an inspiring presentation he detailed his achievement in Sydney in 2000 in the Men’s Rowing Eight by means of an accompanying DVD.
Afterwards, Louis spoke to us and admitted, unlike Sir Steve Redgrave, he had managed to stay away from active rowing as he had promised post-Sydney. He could not resist viewing last year’s Olympic rowing action, however. Now he did not have time for rowing as he was involved in the day to day operation of his father Graham’s firm.
Various partners took part
Amongst those with stands at the Island event were: HTP, IW College, Smart, IW Council and Choices as well as other organisations and businesses offering apprenticeships. Displays on stands were very diverse with visitors being able to witness demonstrations on hairstyling, cookery and sugarcraft as well as finding out about a career as a dental nurse.
We discovered that Dental Nursing is open to both males and females and can often lead to, with extra training, becoming a dentist.
At the end of the day, fresh from a week in Westminster, the Island’s MP Andrew Turner made a tour of the stands which were housed in a marquee in the grounds of Albert Cottage.
