Systems has recently announced its plans to recruit 329 apprentices and graduates in 2022, across its Air and Shared Services business based in Warton, Samlesbury and Preston.
Burnley manufacturer VEKA, Preston home furnishing specialist Plumbs and regional housebuilder Persimmon are among the many other business champions of apprenticeships in the county, highlighting the wide range of sectors where opportunities can be found.
Lancashire’s highly respected further and higher education establishments are also playing key roles in the county’s future economic wellbeing, with their increasing collaboration set to deliver results.
In December it was announced that a pilot programme based in the county and designed to shape how skills provision will meet the needs of the zero/low carbon economy of the future had been granted £8.4m funding.
The programme, the biggest of its kind in England, will be headed up by The Lancashire Colleges (TLC) and delivered by the county’s colleges working in partnership with business.
The funding has been granted by the Department for Education (DfE) and is part of the government’s Skills Accelerator Programme.
Its aim is to explore how education providers can work together more effectively alongside employers and other partners to respond to local skills and innovation priorities as well as tackling the zero/low carbon agenda.
The colleges will implement and test new collaborative ways of working with each other to develop new curriculum, establish specialist
skills demonstrator centres across the county and deliver the skills local businesses need.
Several colleges in the county are also involved in a new skills drive to ensure the county’s construction sector is ready to respond to the low carbon agenda.
And in another announcement in December it was revealed that one of nine new Institutes of Technology will be located in Blackpool as part of a national drive to tackle skills shortages.
The need for a high quality, employer led skills system has never been greater
The institutes are a collaboration, involving employers, colleges and universities that specialise in offering high-quality higher technical education and training in subjects such as advanced manufacturing, digital and cyber security, aerospace and healthcare.
People looking to upskill or retrain will have access to more than 100 short courses, lasting between six weeks and a year, supporting them to space out their studies and learn at a pace that works for them.
The nine latest institutes that have been announced have the potential to access
£120m capital funding to become operational if they pass each stage of the Department for Education’s due diligence process.
The partnership working to deliver Lancashire’s institute includes further education establishments from across the county, three universities and several prominent businesses.
It is set to specialise in digital engineering, health and life sciences, manufacturing, the built environment, energy and transport.
Education secretary Nadhim Zahawi said: “Ensuring everyone is given the opportunity to reach their full potential, no matter their age or life stage, is a vital part of our mission to level up this country.
“These measures, including our new short courses and nine new Institutes of Technology, will boost access to more high-quality and flexible education and training – giving people the chance to learn at a pace that is right for them, while ensuring we have the skilled workforce needed to boost our economy.”
Lancashire’s educational establishments were also a major factor when it came to the government’s decision to base the National Cyber Force in Samlesbury, bringing with it around £5bn of investment and the creation of between 2,000 and 3,000 highly skilled jobs.
Work is already underway to ensure Lancashire people have the skills to take advantage of those employment opportunities.
Government ministers have pledged to expand and enhance cyber skills across the board in a drive to promote UK technological leadership.
VEKA PLC EYES FIRMLY ON THE FUTURE
As a leading supplier of uPVC profiles in the UK, it’s in our DNA to remain ahead of the curve.
Even after five decades, we’re still striving for new and improved ways of designing and manufacturing systems used to fabricate windows, doors and conservatories.
High-quality, industry-leading products are only part of the VEKA story though.
Home may be where our impressive Burnley site sits, covering over 400,000 square feet and spanning two postcodes, but our heart is, without doubt, the people who work there.
From warehouse operators to delivery drivers, administrative staff to our technical team, it’s the talent, drive, and vision of our 350-strong workforce that truly sets us apart.
It’s the reason why the current skills shortage within our industry is a matter of such great importance, and a topic we can’t shy away from.
Historical low levels of unemployment have been met head on by the continued fallout from the pandemic, exacerbated further by a lack of international labour in the wake of Brexit; all striking at a time when our order books are overflowing.
Forming a proactive, long-term solution to the skills crisis is crucial to the future of our industry, and apprenticeships will play a key role within this strategy.
VEKA has a proud history of supporting apprentices. We started our first apprenticeship scheme in 1994, and now take apprentices within a wide range of business functions including IT, HR and purchasing as well as our more traditional engineering teams.
Structured training and a commitment to career progression are what makes this route such an attractive proposition.
Working alongside Themis at Burnley College we currently have four engineering apprentices. In 2022, we’re planning to expand the programme significantly with a new intake of 10 apprentices into wider areas of the business.
Designed in conjunction with the college, this will help us continue developing highly skilled staff in order to meet the challenges of an ever-evolving industry.
We believe investing in the next generation is an investment in the future, which is why apprenticeships are a huge part of our people strategy and will always be a big part of our future.
www.vekauk.com
Case Study: SUPPORTED ALL THE WAY
“I’d recommend VEKA to anyone with a thirst for knowledge who wants to further their career.”
Maintenance engineer Scott Bentley started his VEKA journey as an apprentice in 2014. Within three years he had become a fully-fledged engineer, but the learning didn’t stop there.
VEKA has since supported Scott through numerous qualifications, and job-specific training courses, as he continues his progress.
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