National Apprenticeship Week: our two reasons to celebrate

This week is National Apprenticeship Week, a celebration of apprenticeships, the people who take them and the employers who run them. This year’s theme is ‘Skills for Life’, and as far as we’re concerned it’s an appropriate choice for two reasons.

One of the challenges for any apprentice and apprenticeship scheme is finding a good match. We all may want skills for life as the outcome, but it won’t happen unless courses fit the way apprentices want to learn.

BCAS increases choice for apprentices

So it’s great to see that the British Compressed Air Society (BCAS) have announced two new providers for its CAVT (Compressed Air and Vacuum Technician) Apprenticeship. Delivered by Cogent Skills and Engineering Trust Training, the way the two schemes run are very different. One offers a more classroom-based experience; the other is mainly online, but the outcome (and the qualification) is the same.

The choice means BCAS is more likely to meet a wider range of learning styles and work-life balance requirements. And that means it should give more apprentices the best possible start, learning skills for life in a way that best suits them.

Apprentice Ethan celebrates a year with Algar Air

Last year, we welcomed Ethan as Algar Air’s first Electrical Engineering Apprentice. His employer at the time couldn’t find enough work to keep him employed. Happily, we didn’t have that issue.

Ethan doesn’t complete his apprenticeship until next year, but he’s already showing very promising signs of becoming an accomplished electrician – by which time he’ll have built a wealth of skills for life as both an electrician and engineer!

Here’s what Ethan thinks …

“I chose to do an apprenticeship to gain hands-on experience while learning on the job. I joined Algar Air around 18 months into my electrical apprenticeship, and it quickly felt like the right move. The team are really supportive and always willing to help, which has helped me build confidence and develop my skills. I enjoy working on real jobs, learning something new every day, and working towards my qualification as part of a great team.”

Want to explore CAVT apprenticeships with BCAS? Find more here.