On Thursday 6 February, Kingston College was delighted to welcome Richmond Park MP, Sarah Olney, during National Apprenticeship Week when she met with our Motor Vehicle Apprentices.
The students, who are taking an Apprenticeship in Motor Vehicle Maintenance, Service and Repair spend part of their week in College and are employed by local companies.
Mrs Olney, accompanied by Group Principal and CEO at South Thames Colleges Group, Peter Mayhew-Smith, and Head of Motor Vehicle, Paul Warnett, enjoyed taking a tour of the extensively equipped Motor Vehicle and Engineering workshops and chatted to a number of apprentices keen to discuss their course with her. Matthew Gleeson (pictured) who is employed by Nigel Sandell Rolls Royce was recently awarded Apprentice of the Year 2019 by the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation who along with a colleague, Jonathon O’Neill, for rebuilding a Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit engine. Both received their award at the Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show held at the NEC.
Peter Mayhew-Smith added: “We were delighted to welcome Sarah Olney into the College to meet our wonderful engineering apprentices. She showed great interest and enthusiasm for the work we do and our apprentices really enjoyed meeting with her. We talked about vocational education, its value to society and the economy and its need for extra investment into the future. Sarah’s interest and support are very welcome and we’re looking forward to working closely with her into the future.”
Sarah Olney commented: “I had a fantastic morning at Kingston College. I looked round their Motor Vehicle and Engineering workshops and chatted to students and apprentices. I was very impressed by everything they have to offer young people.”
The Annual National Apprenticeship Week celebration brings the whole Apprenticeship community together to celebrate the impact of Apprenticeships on individuals, employers and the economy. This year's ‘Look Beyond’ theme celebrates the diversity and value Apprenticeships bring to all the community, highlighting the talent and energy Apprentices bring in to the workplace.
Apprenticeships are an important part of the provision on offer at Kingston College and through our close links with employers of all sizes from multinationals to SMEs, we have developed Apprenticeships that meet the requirements of their industry. Kingston College is part of the wider South Thames Colleges Group, consisting of Merton College, Carshalton College and South Thames College, which supports around 1,200 Apprentices in over 20 employment sectors at any one time, from Engineering to Childcare.
Apprenticeships are available at different levels depending on the individual’s previous experience and gives students the opportunity to earn and learn at the same time, developing skills for work and gaining industry recognised qualifications, giving learners a head start in their career. Whilst visiting, Sarah had the chance to take part in workshops and talk to apprentices about their experiences and career aspirations.
