Engage - Issue 6 - Post National Apprenticeship Week Edition

Welcome to Engage

Hello and welcome to our latest edition of Engage. This edition comes as we celebrate two years of the Heart of Yorkshire Education Group, and it’s fantastic to see how far we’ve come as an organisation.

We’ve had a busy start to 2024, hosting the Group’s second Strategic Stakeholder Event. Governors and senior colleagues were joined by key leaders from organisations across the West Yorkshire and York & North Yorkshire regions to discuss our curriculum development and future workforce demands. A huge thank you to our partners who took part in the event – your feedback is invaluable in ensuring our curriculum meets the needs of the industry and that our learners are work-ready.

In late January, we attended the Yorkshire Learning Providers 20th Birthday Awards where our Skills Bootcamp in the Principles

We also celebrated National Apprenticeship Week during the first week of February, with a range of activities going on across our three Colleges to raise awareness of Apprenticeships and how they can transform lives – which you can read more about on page 2

We also caught up with some of our apprentices on-the-job during National Apprenticeship Week to hear how they’re benefitting from gaining hands-on skills, which I hope you enjoy reading more about on page 4

Best wishes,

National Apprenticeship Week 2024 #NAW2024

Sustainability networking event a success

It was great to see so many employers from a range of different industries at our sustainability-themed Employer Breakfast during National Apprenticeship Week. Held at Snozone at Xscape Castleford on Tuesday 6th February, the event provided a great opportunity for businesses and professionals to discuss their sustainability plans and skills needs in this area.

Industry talks and a Q&A session were also held, with Managing Director at SoluPak, Helen McDonald, sharing the company’s journey in making their operations more sustainable. This includes the creation of its bottle4life system, which has eliminated a significant amount of single use plastic from the waste stream, its production processes and for its customers – with the number of purpose sachets it sold in 2022 eliminating the equivalent of 26 tonnes of plastic.

Ross Jones, Food & Beverage Manager at Snozone, also spoke about the social and environmental initiatives Snozone is driving forward, including how it operates 100% renewable electricity to help minimise its carbon footprint. Ross also shared with attendees the ethical and sustainable practices it’s focusing on as a business to reduce its waste.

David White, Head of Regional Partnerships and Projects at the Heart of Yorkshire Education Group, also shared insights into how businesses can reduce their carbon footprint, become more sustainable and prepare for future demands.

If you are interested in finding out how we can help you make your business greener, please contact David White at dwhite@heartofyorkshire.ac.uk

Shouting about the benefits of apprenticeships

Colleagues also delivered apprenticeships talks to pupils at Snaith High School and Trinity Academy to help them understand the benefits of apprenticeships and the apprenticeship routes available to them.

Our Apprenticeships Team had stands across our three Colleges throughout the week, helping to answer any questions students had regarding Apprenticeships. The Group’s Open Events also had a special apprenticeship theme, with prospective students able to attend apprenticeship talks and see what areas they can do an apprenticeship in.

Celebrating our Apprentices

Unfortunately, due to adverse weather conditions, we had to postpone our Annual Apprenticeship Awards which were set to take place during the week. In the meantime, we would like to highlight this year’s fantastic nominees within this edition.

We received a significant number of nominations for our Annual Apprenticeship Awards this year. We look forward to celebrating the exceptional achievements of the Group’s apprentices, and the contributions of our employer partners to Apprenticeship programmes, in the near future. Congratulations to this year’s nominees.

Business, Enterprise & Professional Apprentice of the Year (sponsored by the Heart of Yorkshire Education Group)

• Mark Curran

• Mia Paisley

• Annees Ayub

Engineering & Automotive Apprentice of the Year (sponsored by GUNT Technology)

• Kalum Smart

• Kurt Moore

• Madison Virr

Health & Education Apprentice of the Year (sponsored by the Heart of Yorkshire Education Group)

• Amy Powell

• Tessa Hampshire

• Izabela Latos

Construction Apprentice of the Year (sponsored by Wakefield District Housing)

• Bradley Reynolds

• Tom Shillito

• Arnies Measures

Large Employer of the Year (sponsored by YPO)

• Greencore

• WSG Energy Services

• Schneider Electric

Small to Medium Employer of the Year (sponsored by Drax Group UK)

• Wakefield Plumbing Co Ltd

• Volta Compliance

• Engineered Systems Electrical Ltd

New Apprentice Employer of the Year (sponsored by Sigma)

• Bridlington Nursery School

• Heat Exchange Group

• Wakefield District Housing

Thank you to our 2024 Award Sponsors

Meet the Apprentices

We caught up with some of our current and former apprentices during National Apprenticeship Week to hear how they’re benefitting from doing an apprenticeship.

Isaac

Level 2 Welding & Fabrication Apprentice at Heat Exchange Group

“

Getting an apprenticeship was a big step forward for me personally and it made me feel like I was progressing as I was now part of the working world. The thing I enjoy the most about my apprenticeship is the people I work with. I’ve also picked up lots of different skills whilst I’ve been here. Doing an apprenticeship has been a brilliant thing to do to get me prepared for working. It’s really beneficial to you as an individual as you’re able to earn money whilst making progress in your learning and career."

Mark

Tia

Level 2 Commis Chef at Fish & Forest

Level 2 Hospitality Apprentice at Farmer Copleys

Apprentice Tia marked National Apprenticeship Week by starting her apprenticeship at Farmer Copleys in Pontefract. Tia joined the business in September 2024 and wasn’t keen on classroom working, so when her employer approached her about potentially doing a work-based apprenticeship, she was really excited about the idea.

According to her employer, Tia embodies everything that Farmer Copleys is about. Her willingness and constant positivity has resulted in her working in many areas of the business including Farmer Copley’s restaurant Moo, pumpkin picking and even being a Christmas Elf!

Mark was cooking up a storm when we met him at Fish & Forest, where he is one of three chefs who runs the popular restaurant in York.

“

Doing an apprenticeship is like a passion project. Every day I come to work and I get to complete tasks which I really enjoy doing and count towards my final assessment. There’s so much to learn in the Hospitality & Catering industry, but my apprenticeship is giving me the knowledge and the confidence to embrace the challenge. I’m also gaining skills beyond the kitchen as it’s teaching me a lot about working and running a hospitality business."

Boost Your Business by investing in an Apprentice

Businesses make the world go round – and at the heart of every successful business are those in administration and customer service roles. From Accounting to Business Admin, to Customer Service to Human Resources, or even a Team Leader – these functions are the backbone of every organisation and ensure that they run efficiently and profitably.

For those people working in these positions, often, their superpower is that they have a highly transferable set of knowledge, skills and behaviours that can be applied in all sectors – whether that be a small or large businesses or those operating in the public, private or charitable sector.

That is why developing your employees in these areas is vital to the success of your organisation, as it ensures that your operations are not only being run smoothly day-to-day, but that you have a workforce which is highly effective and invested in the success and future of your business.

At the Heart of Yorkshire Education Group, we offer a range of flexible training and development Apprenticeship programmes in many

professional occupations to support employers in upskilling their workforce and enhancing employees’ personal development.

By working closely with you throughout your employees’ apprenticeship programme, we can ensure your employees have the training, knowledge and behaviours which your business needs to succeed both today and in the future.

Leadership is also a cornerstone of any business training programme, meaning your employees can develop the skills to effectively manage and guide teams within your organisation, make informed decisions or tackle any issues head-on.

Whether you’re looking to recruit a new apprentice into one of your business

functions, or would like to upskill an existing member of staff to improve their career prospects within your organisation, we can help you.

If you would like to discuss our range of Apprenticeship opportunities, please speak to our Apprenticeships Team on 01924 789469 or email apprenticeships@heartofyorkshire. ac.uk

“The thing I enjoyed the most about my Apprenticeship is working within a team of people who are supportive and that I can learn from. It’s also given me experience of working in an office environment and in marketing and events planning. I’ve now progressed into a full-time Business Administration role.” - Chloe Smith, Former Business Administration Apprentice

Build a Skilled Workforce

Are you looking for fresh talent in your business, or need more skilled employees? Attend our opendoor event to see if our completing Construction students are suitable for your workforce!

You will be able to walk around live workshops and see if there is a young person that may hold the skills for your business, such that on completion they progress straight into employment. We will also be able to advise on further training they can receive to support your business, demonstrating the competence of your workforce. This can be onsite only or with attendance at college.

During the week commencing 3rd June 2024, you will be able to explore our range of construction programmes:

CARPENTRY CARPENTRY

› Monday morning

› Tuesday

› Thursday morning

› Wednesday morning

› Monday all day

› Tuesday all day

› Wednesday morning

› Monday all day

ELECTRICAL ELECTRICAL BRICKLAYING PLUMBING PLUMBING

› Tuesday all day

› Monday all day

› Tuesday all day

› Wednesday morning

› Tuesday all day

› Wednesday morning

Enhance your workforce with an Apprentice

Apprenticeships are a fantastic way to develop skills and improve your workforce, suiting new apprentices to a company or existing staff members who are looking to upskill.

Our programmes can be tailored to suit your business' needs and a knowledgeable tutor will support your apprentice throughout their apprenticeship with all elements of work and assessments.

In September 2024, the Construction department will also be launching brand-new Craft Apprenticeships in Bricklaying and Carpentry at Selby College. The apprenticeship standard delivery includes a Level 1 Award in Health and Safety to support attainment of the CSCS labourer’s card and a Level 2 Award in Retrofit - helping the UK achieve Net Zero.

What’s new at the Heart of Yorkshire Education Group Skills Bootcamp recognised at Yorkshire Learning Providers Award

The Group’s Skills Bootcamp in the Principles of Carbon Capture and Storage programme was presented with the Best Skills Bootcamp Delivery accolade at the Yorkshire Learning Providers 20th Birthday Awards.

The accolade recognises the Group’s ability to progress individuals into employment through its innovative and flexible programme delivery, with many learners upskilling in their roles at companies such as Drax and Enfinium.

They have also developed emerging skills and knowledge regarding carbon separation processes including adsorption, heat recovery, heat exchange, heat pumps and more.

Skills Bootcamps are often identified as pre-apprenticeship programmes, as they are a great way to prepare for an apprenticeship programme and to hit the ground running. If you are interested in taking part in our next Skills Bootcamp in Carbon Capture and Storage, please contact dwhite@heartofyorkshire.ac.uk

We marked T Level Thursday during National Apprenticeship Week by visiting our T Level Engineering students Crawford and Harris to find out how they’re getting on in their industry placement with Drax at its Power Plant in Selby. Hear from Drax about how they are benefitting from taking on T Level students by watching our brand-new video: What our Employers Say | T Levels @ Drax - YouTube

If you are inspired by Drax, Crawford and Harris’ stories and are interested in taking on a T Level student, please get in touch on 01924 789761 or at employerengagement@heartofyorkshire.ac.uk

Scan the QR Code below to watch the YouTube video;

T Level students thrive in industry placement with Drax Group shortlisted for two Educate North Awards

The Heart of Yorkshire Education Group has been shortlisted for multiple awards at the Educate North Awards 2024, highlighting its commitment to achieving excellence in the education sector. The awards celebrate, recognise and share best practice and excellence in the University, HE, FE and Sixth Form sectors across the North of England.

The Group has been announced as a finalist for the Employer Engagement award, demonstrating its ability to engage with employers to create enhanced opportunities for its students. It’s 16-18 Keep Warm Campaign for 2022-2023 has also been recognised, with the Group being shortlisted for the Campaign of the Year Award.

Students across the district get a taste of careers in Construction

Over 170 pupils from the Wakefield district took part in a wide range of hands-on construction activities as part of Give Construction a Try – giving them insight into the different career paths available within the sector.

Give Construction a Try, which was held at Castleford College on Wednesday 13th March, saw pupils enjoy 115 interactive workshops across the day in bricklaying, building information modelling, carpentry & joinery, clay tiling, electrical, plumbing, roofing surveying and more.

The event was formally opened by Lord-Lieutenant for West Yorkshire, Ed Anderson, who spoke about why it’s such an exciting time to be a part of the construction industries and the endless opportunities it offers.

Mick Hill, Teacher at Outwood Academy Freeston, said: “Our Year 9 pupils are currently choosing their subject options, so the event was the perfect chance for them to see first-hand the opportunities which are available in Construction. They really enjoyed the handson nature of the sections and the industry as a whole, which has given them focus and inspired them to find out more about the different roles they could have and how they can get there.”

Ethan, Year 9 Pupil from at Outwood Academy Freeston, said: “The day was really fun and I enjoyed the different sessions, especially bricklaying. Before the event, I had thought about studying construction and a career in the industry but Give Construction a Try has confirmed that I want a job in the sector.”

In addition to the headline sponsor of the event, Willmott Dixon, interactive workshops were delivered by Bell Group, Building Futures, Caddick Construction, Illingworth & Gregory, Korec Group, Morgan Sindall, Omexon, Overbury, Promoting Construction West Yorkshire Training Group, Robertson, SCP, Sigma, Smith Hire, Speedy Hire, The Civil Engineering Contractors Association/National Highways, Wakefield District Housing, Wienerberger and Yorkshire Independent Roof Training Group.

Sam Wright, Principal and Chief Executive Officer at the Heart of Yorkshire Education Group, said: “This is the third year we’ve hosted Give Construction a Try and it’s amazing to see so many employers and pupils from across the district taking part in the event, as well as having the Lord-Lieutenant for West Yorkshire open the proceedings. By bringing together businesses, educators and industry specialists, we are able to deliver an event which gives young people a real insight into the opportunities available in the construction industry, which will hopefully inspire them to study or work in the sector in the near future.”

Pupils from Airedale Academy, Carlton High School, Castleford Academy, Crofton Academy, De Lacy Academy, Freeston Academy, Highwell, Kettlethorpe High School, Outwood Academy Freeston, The Kings School, St Thomas a Beckett, Trinity Academy Cathedral and Wood Kirk, then broke off into the sessions which were designed to give them insight into the diverse range of roles and opportunities the industry has to offer.