To conclude National Apprenticeships Week 2021, Member of Parliament for Aylesbury, Rob Butler joined a roundtable meeting with a group of Buckinghamshire College Group Apprentices. The meeting took place virtually on Friday 12th February and was a lively and interactive discussion.
Rob Butler MP started the meeting by saying he wished to support apprentices as best as he could and wished to recognise how they contribute to the economy. He asked our apprentices, “What did you choose to do an apprenticeship?”, “What are the pros and cons?” and “How have you been affected by the pandemic?”.
Alex, a Level 2 Apprentice studying Professional Cookery said "I wanted to do something more applicable and marketable, to develop skills that will be useful later in life"..."I am finally doing something that will make me employable". He is working in a local Pub which he felt has a great team and atmosphere.
Trudi Jarvis, a Level 2 Hairdressing Apprentice stated that she has been out of education for 40 years. She was keen to get the message across that it is never too late to learn new things and new skills, “apprenticeships are not just for school leavers, they are for all ages!” Trudi said "I have a thirst for knowledge and I am always asking questions!"
Georgia Morris, a level 3 Digital Marketing Apprentice said she loved working from a young age and decided to leave university to do an apprenticeship so that she could get some real life work experience whilst gaining a qualification. When asked about the impact of the pandemic, Georgia stated “I started the job working from home and it was daunting at first but I have built some great positive relationships online with co-workers and my line manager”.
The group also discussed some of the challenges of doing an apprenticeship during a pandemic, such as their learning being focussed more on theory due to not being able to learn many of the practical skills needed. They agreed they continue to overcome these challenges to progress in their apprenticeship in spite of challenging circumstances.
Rob finished the meeting with wishing the apprentices the best of luck in their upcoming exams and with finishing off their apprenticeships. We would like to thank Rob Butler MP and his team for taking the time to support our Apprentices.
