Going into lockdown last March, right at the beginning of our Modern Apprentice contract for 2020/21, we were really unsure whether we would be able to sustain our numbers and achieve the growth we had anticipated. Luckily, our implementation of Smart Assessor meant that we were well prepared to move immediately to an end-to-end paperless programme. The results have been amazing!
While many training providers have reported reductions in Modern Apprentice numbers, at Borders College we not only achieved our contract but exceeded it by 25% enrolling 290 new apprentices against a target of 231. This is an amazing achievement by the DEBI team who have all worked hard, collaborated and supported each other to ensure that our students continue to achieve despite their challenges. Thank you to all those both in the DEBI team and curriculum who have worked so hard this year to achieve this success.
For 2021/22 our new contract has just been awarded and we hope to ensure that we enrol 255 apprentices. To assist in the achievement of this we are beginning to offer some new awards including a Diploma in Digital Marketing at SCQF 6. We are also conducting some market research into awards such as Facilities Management, Housing and Logistics to establish whether it is viable to run these courses.
Our Foundation Apprenticeship programme is also growing and we have added new provision in Hospitality, Construction Craft & Technician and Automotive Skills plus fast track awards in Healthcare and Social Services Children and Young People. We continue to offer Accountancy, Business Skills and Civil Engineering. More and more young people are beginning to consider the Foundation Apprenticeship as a route into employment or progression to college and apprenticeships. By offering a wide range of awards and introducing fast track awards we are able to ensure that senior phase students have as many opportunities as possible to begin their college career while still at school.
March 1st - 5th was Apprenticeship Week and we hosted 3 webinars aimed at employers and young people providing information on the range of apprenticeships and how to employ or become a Modern Apprentice. It was great to see so many new employers attending these events and 2 of our Foundation Apprentices, Lauren and Siobhan Call, as well as Business and Admin Modern Apprentices, Maisie Mitchell and Chloe Smith provided an insight into their experiences, the benefits of the FA and MA and their ambitions for the future. We had lots of videos on social media posts and some of these are popping as part of the #ChooseCollege campaign as well. If you can like and share these when you see them it really helps to spread the word about the great work being done at Borders College.
We would also like to welcome Lewis Anderson, who has joined Borders College as a Modern Apprentice in Business and Administration within the DEBI. Lewis is already proving to be a great asset to the team and we wish him success in his new role.
Fiona Turnbull
Account Manager Contracts, Procurement & Employability
Department of Enterprise & Business Innovation
For more information on Apprenticeships at Borders College, click here.