This week is National Apprenticeship Week (NAW), which every year celebrates the values of apprenticeships for individuals, businesses and wider society.
The annual week-long celebration promotes apprentices, employers, training providers, parents, schools, and education providers, all of which contribute to the success of apprenticeships and skills across the country.
Medway Council itself continues to embrace its responsibilities under the Apprenticeship Levy, and currently has 194 employees on apprenticeship programmes – all benefitting from the chance to learn from skilled colleagues and gain insights from real work experience.
Anyone over 16 can start an apprenticeship, and there’s no upper age limit – meaning they’re a great way to improve your skills and experience even if you’ve already been through higher education and other career experiences.
The principal bonus is they offer both paid employment and high quality training, providing skills for life and opening doors for future careers; while for businesses they're a great way to recruit team members, who can quickly learn and flourish into highly valuable employees.
Medway Adult Education delivers apprenticeship training for employers across Medway, working closely with the employer to make sure the apprenticeship meets the organisation's needs, and ensuring the apprentice has the level of support they need to successfully complete the programme.
Former Medway Council apprentice, Holly Chandler-Smith, now working as a Child Friendly Medway Engagement Officer, spoke of her experience of gaining skills through an apprenticeship programme.
“I think apprenticeships are really valuable as it can be hard for people to get their foot on the corporate ladder,” she said. “I had never worked in an office environment before starting here, so learning on the job really benefitted me, and I’ve gained so much experience since starting.
"Apprenticeships can also give you freedom to try out different roles, and as an apprentice at Medway Council I was able to shadow various roles in different departments, helping me to gain different skills and network.
“Not only did I improve my digital skills, but the apprenticeship also improved my confidence and professionalism – through working in an office and meeting with different people both in the council and local community.”