BEDFORD College Group chief executive Ian Pryce and executive director of apprenticeships Debbie Houghton are pictured at the door of 10 Downing Street ahead of joining delegates at a national conference on apprenticeships at the Houses of Parliament in London.
The conference, which took place as part of National Apprenticeship Week this week (February 6-12), focused on discussing the way forward in skills training and role apprenticeships can play within the strategy.
Bedford College’s Cauldwell campus also welcomed some of Bedfordshire’s major employers, parents and students considering apprenticeships as the first step on their career path to a discussion forum on the way forward for skills development locally and across the UK.
Joining the panel to talk to parents about the fantastic opportunities was former apprentice Kathryn Jack, who started as Level 2 Business Administration at the University of Bedfordshire, then progressed to Cilex law school and now works for business consultancy Hook Tangza in London. She is pictured above, left with Gina Bubbins, Bedford College Group’s business development director.
Ms Bubbins said: “Apprenticeships offers fantastic routes into employment for people from as young as 16, to a mature entry level. We want parents to understand that this is a quality alternative to university for the bright and able who want to start a career path.”
Among the employers attending were Oakley-based Hazel Kaye hair and beauty. The salon was joined by defence manufacturer Lockheed Martin, which has a factory at Ampthill, Bedford-based Axis Electronics pictured above with Debbie Houghton (right), car auction giant BCA and the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.
