The theme of this year’s National Apprenticeship Week was ‘Build the Future’ and HSDC spent the week highlighting, celebrating and appreciating the opportunities and value of Apprentices and the employers who partner with HSDC to provide an Apprenticeship.
Due to the pandemic, this year’s celebrations were done virtually. Each day showcased a different subject area and included five Apprenticeship and five Employer awards, celebrating HSDC’s business partners and the impact their Apprentices have made on their business as well as kickstarting their careers. Other awards included HSDC’s 1000th Apprentice, Outstanding Contribution to the Community by an Apprentice for volunteer work preparing meals for the homeless and vulnerable in the Portsmouth area, and the Principal’s Special Recognition Award, given to 24 care home partners to recognise their dedication and hard work during the pandemic.
The NAW2021 Virtual Networking Event was held on Thursday, where local employers discussed the benefits and value of Apprenticeships, as well as listened to guest speakers talking about their Apprenticeship journeys, the opportunities of Degree Apprenticeships and the latest Government incentives. HSDC Apprentices from the business, accounting, creative and catering sectors led break out rooms with employers speaking about their own Apprenticeship journeys.
Aaron Butson, HSDC Director of Business, Growth and Innovation, said: “It has been a delight to have the chance to celebrate the fantastic work that apprentices and employers do. At HSDC we are helping to develop the workforce of the future by creating strong partnerships with our employers to ensure we are delivering the right programmes to meet their needs. I want to say a big thank you to our employers and a massive congratulations to all our apprentices for their continued successful development.”
With the successful launch in September of Engineering Apprenticeships at the Alton Campus, HSDC now offers Apprenticeships at two campuses – Alton and South Downs. To find out how a business can engage in the current incentives to grow their business with an Apprenticeship, go to https://www.hsdc.ac.uk/for-businesses/grow-your-business-with-an-apprenticeship/.
