A packed programme of activities was warmly received last week across South Hampshire College Group to celebrate apprenticeship and T Level qualifications as part of National Apprenticeship Week 2025.
Throughout the week a popular series of presentations and informative talks were staged across the College Group’s sites, comprising Eastleigh College, Fareham College, Southampton College, CEMAST and CETC, which have featured input from local government services including the NHS, the DVSA and the wider Civil Service. There have also been special networking events including an Employer’s Breakfast, bringing key local business and education figures together to celebrate apprenticeship developments this year, and a particularly useful ‘Meet your Match’ event which enabled progressing students and apprentices to connect with various employers from different sectors, opening up further opportunities for work interviews, placements and careers beyond college.
Clare Lewis is an employer at local mortgage broker business C L Mortgages, and has employed South Hampshire College Group student Cameron on an apprenticeship. She commented: “We need young people coming up through the ranks so we can grow our company. Apprenticeships are one of the best ways to achieve this and as an employer they allow me to shape staff to work how they need to in order to best support the firm.”
The week was also a unified celebration of T Levels, where the college group welcomed hundreds of young people and their parents to four special T Level information evenings where they had the opportunity to understand the value of the significant work placement and discover progression opportunities available through this dynamic new learning pathway. These events were gratefully supported by the University of Portsmouth, University of Southampton and Solent University, to endorse the progression pathways of T Levels and to continue to strengthen the important local community ties between Further Education (FE) and Higher Education (HE).
Briony is one of South Hampshire College Group’s many students currently undertaking a T Level programme – her study of Early Years & Education has opened up future ambitions for a career in safeguarding and supporting young people. She commented: “As part of my T Level, I have a large work placement in a school, which gives me real experience working with children from a range of circumstances. Our facilities at college also are really good because there’s a nursery and spaces where we learn hands-on skills, as well as classrooms, so we get a real mix of learning and experience.”
To learn more about National Apprenticeship Week and its importance in the education landscape, please click here.
For further information about South Hampshire College Group and its high-quality technical and professional training, please contact info@shcg.ac.uk or visit www.shcg.ac.uk.
