Rochdale apprentices celebrate achievements

Rochdale Training prize winners 2010

Apprentices from across the borough attended the 41st Rochdale Training Association's prize giving at the town hall recently.

Over 100 local young people achieved an apprenticeship which is 50% up on last year, while Rochdale Training’s success rate is 87% - 16% above the national average.

Chief Executive Jill Nagy commented: “We are very proud of these success rates, which are made possible by the hard work and dedication of Rochdale Training’s staff, the learners themselves, and the employers who provide the jobs and the opportunities for training.”

She added: “All Rochdale Training Apprentices are employed and many are found jobs by Rochdale Training – no mean feat in this economic climate. They are in paid employment, gaining on the job training, while working towards the nationally recognised Apprenticeship framework i.e. they are “earning as they are learning” and gain valuable work experience.

“Sadly though many young people are not in this successful position. They are not as aware of the Apprenticeship route as they should be. So, many go to further education colleges, some go onto university and unfortunately all too often, this pathway fails to make them more marketable to employers and these young people often end up, when finishing their courses, without a job and even in some cases – with a hefty personal debt.”

Presenting this year’s awards was retired Rochdale Hornets and Wigan Rugby League professional Neil Cowie, a former joinery Apprentice, who now runs his own construction & property company locally.

Mr Cowie said: “Having completed an Apprenticeship myself, I know how valuable the training is, that an Apprenticeship provides the foundation for a lifetime’s work and it gives me great pleasure to see the good work that Rochdale Training is doing with today’s young people in Rochdale.”

In addition to Apprenticeships in options such as Engineering, Administration, Customer Services and I T, Rochdale Training now delivers Child Care Apprenticeships and are piloting Construction Apprenticeships. The Gas Centre has also been completed at the Fishwick Street site, allowing Rochdale Training to offer locally the Advanced Framework to their Plumbing Apprenticeship. They are also starting to provide pre-apprenticeships for the NEET (Not in Education, Employment & Training) young people of Rochdale and further training for the unemployed.

This years prize winners:

• Aaron Marshall of Renold Gears, First year Engineering Apprentice of the Year;
• Neville Cadwallader, training officer at Wallworks Heat Treatment, Adult Learners of the Year;
• Neil Bostock of Precision Technologies Group, Engineering Apprentice of the Year;
• Josh Dempsey of Mark Dempsey Plumbing, Plumbing Apprentice of the Year;
• Anthony Jackson of Rochdale Council, Administration Advanced Apprentice of the Year; and
• Katie Dingley of Rochdale Council, Administration Apprentice of the Year.