Apprenticeships, work placements and volunteering options on offer at Nelson and Colne College Group’s Careers Expo

Young people at the start of their employment journey and those who are seeking a career change are invited to the Nelson and Colne College Group’s annual Apprenticeships and Careers Expo.

The Apprenticeships and Careers Expo will be held at Nelson and Colne College on Wednesday 5 February from 5pm until 7pm, and visitors will have the opportunity to find out more about Apprenticeships, volunteering options and work placement opportunities.

Aimed at school and College leavers and their parents, job seekers or individuals looking for a career change, the Expo is timed to tie in with the College’s celebrations for National Apprenticeship Week.

On the night there will be the chance to speak to employers and Apprentices across a wide range of sectors, and apply for live Apprenticeship vacancies. Workshops will also be run to develop CV and interview skills, the college’s Careers Zone will be offering expert careers advice and further information on progression to Nelson and Colne College or Accrington and Rossendale College’s University Centre courses will be available.

More than 20 exhibitors in total are signed up to attend the event from a wide range of employment areas, including Business and Professional Services, Leisure and Tourism, Engineering and Manufacturing, Hair and Beauty, Health and Social Care, Uniformed Services and more. There will also be a number of exhibitors from the charity and voluntary sector.

Employers already signed up to attend are: acdc, Chubb Systems Ltd, Stocks Hall Nursing & Care Group, April Hair Salon, BCW Manufacturing, Burnley FC in the Community, Bright Engineering, Christina Clegg (Financial Advice), Daisy Communications, East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, Forbes Solicitors, Lancashire Constabulary, Newground, Liberata, Silentnight, Protec Fire Detection, The Gilpin, Studio Up North, J4 Marketing, East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce, Signs Express.

Emily Shapland, 18, progressed into her HR Apprenticeship at acdc LED Lighting having attended the Expo while studying for her A Levels at Nelson and Colne College.

Emily, formerly of Ss John Fisher and Thomas More RC High School, said: “I love my HR Apprenticeship – I don’t think there is such a thing as an ordinary day at work. I’ve really settled into the family culture at acdc and I enjoy organising engagement events and providing help and advice to colleagues.

“I knew that I didn’t want to go to university, so I went along to the Expo at College to find out more about Apprenticeships as I wanted to earn and learn at the same time. It’s all about being in the right place at the right time and taking advantage of the facilities and the opportunities that College offers.”

Lisa Clarke, people manager at acdc LED Lighting, said: “We attend Nelson and Colne College’s Apprenticeships and Careers Expo every year as we find it to be a fantastic source of new talent. At last year’s Expo, we recruited an Engineering Apprentice and Emily into our new HR Apprentice position, and they have both been extremely valuable additions to the acdc team.

“We have a very positive relationship with the College. We feel that the Apprenticeship Team really understand our business needs and we are happy to support other College events such as Industry Careers Days as it promotes the acdc brand and inspires young people to come and work for us.”

Barton Hoyle, technical training and product manager at Chubb Systems Ltd, said: “The college is now our provider of choice because of the standard of teaching, enthusiasm of the staff and the way the Apprentices responded to the College.

“The college offers a clear, well-defined progression pathway for our Apprentices that, should they choose to do so, means they can progress on to degree level qualification by extending the studies they do on the Apprenticeship.

“Our relationship with the college is good. As a business we are keen to engage with College Engineering activities to actively promote STEM activities, raise both interest in Engineering and awareness of the variety of Engineering roles available. It also helps to promote awareness of our apprenticeship scheme within the college’s students.”

Nelson and Colne College is the number one college the country for 16-18 Apprenticeship timely achievement. Accrington and Rossendale College is the number one college in Lancashire for employer satisfaction, based on the government’s FE Choices Employer Survey.

If you are interested in starting an Apprenticeship with the Nelson and Colne College Group, please contact the Apprenticeship Team today by calling 01282 440319 or visit www.nelson.ac.uk/apprenticeships