Skills Minister Matthew Hancock is this week urging the public to vote for their Apprenticeship Champion of the Year 2013 at www.apprenticeships.org.uk.
Ten former apprentices are competing for the Award, sponsored by City & Guilds and now in its second year, which recognises the significant impact apprentices make on their employer’s business development and growth.
Voting opens as a new film featuring the Minister swapping jobs with the current Apprenticeship Champion, Jenny Westworth, is released on apprentice.tv.
Jenny hosted Mr. Hancock at BAE Systems’ Eurofighter Typhoon Aircraft Final Assembly facility site in Warton, Lancashire, where they visited the production line and shadowed other BAE Systems apprentices working on final aircraft build.
The Minister also toured BAE Systems’ apprentice training facility in Preston, learnt about aircraft fitting, conventional and CNC machining, computer aided design and avionic testing of an aircraft in production.
In return, the Minister hosted Jenny at the House of Commons and invited her to Ministerial meetings at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), while Jenny also took part in a Parliamentary debate.
Skills Minister Matthew Hancock, said:
“This job swap gave me a taste of life as an apprentice, which I loved! It highlighted just how much young people are benefiting from earning while they learn in a real job, as well as the huge benefits Apprenticeships bring to employers.
“Jenny has been a superb Apprenticeship Champion. She is an inspiration and an example to other young people.
“We want to make it the norm for young people to either go to university or do an Apprenticeship, and competitions like the Apprenticeship Champion of the Year, which showcase the best of Apprenticeships, help make that a reality.”
Jenny, who won the 2012 search for the Apprenticeship Champion of the Year, which is part of the prestigious annual National Apprenticeship Awards, will hand over her title to another former apprentice when the results of the public vote are revealed in November.
Jenny, who completed her Advanced Apprenticeship in Aerospace Engineering and who now works in BAE Systems’ Military Air & Information business in Warton, Lancashire, said:
“I’m proud to show the Minister what I have achieved at BAE Systems and what opportunities I and many other apprentices are offered.
“My Apprenticeship was the best possible career choice I could have made and being Apprenticeship Champion of the Year has been an honour. Throughout the year I’ve spoken at countless events, met senior politicians and used my award to ensure as many young people as possible realise what a positive choice becoming an apprentice is.”
Throughout the year CEOs and senior directors across the country have swapped jobs with apprentices to learn about the real value and impact of Apprenticeships. The film featuring Jenny and the Minister is the latest in a series of job swap films available on apprentice.tv that also feature Yorkshire Ambulance Service and Pendennis Shipyards.
Sue Price, Northern Director from the National Apprenticeship Service, said:
“Jenny is a brilliant ambassador for Apprenticeships, which is just one of the reasons she was crowned ‘Apprenticeship Champion of the Year’ at the National Apprenticeship Awards 2012. Following her win she has continued to champion Apprenticeships and encourage others to consider an Apprenticeship and earn while they learn.
“The National Apprenticeship Awards are under way once again and we’d encourage everyone to look at the nominees for the 2013 City & Guilds Apprenticeship Champion of the Year and vote for the most inspiring on apprenticeships.org.uk.”
To cast your Apprenticeship Champion vote, go to:
http://www.apprenticeships.org.uk/Home/Awards/NationalApprenticeshipAwards/Vote.aspx
