Lancaster and Morecambe College aims to create 200 apprenticeship positions in 200 days

Apprenticeships are not just for school leavers, but those young people who choose this route get a head-start in their careers. Submitted picture

Lancaster & Morecambe College is launching its 200 in 200 Apprenticeship Challenge, where it aims to create 200 apprenticeship positions in only 200 days.

Following previous successful ‘100 in 100’ campaigns, LMC have doubled the challenge to celebrate their 200th anniversary which falls in July 2024, in line with a range of celebrations they have planned for the coming year. The campaign aims to create 200 apprenticeships in just 200 days and with that the future job opportunities that come along with it, and is supported through the Lancashire Engaging Apprentices Programme (LEAP) which offers mentoring and guidance to apprentices and employers across the county.

Victoria Carter, LMC’s Head of Engagement said: “We know how important apprenticeships are for our local and regional businesses and we always encourage people to consider this as a viable alternative to full time study. Apprenticeships can offer so much more than just qualifications; they build the skills, knowledge and behaviours that employers require and they bring fresh ideas and new practices into the workplace.

"Our LEAP Progress Coaches ensure that apprentices and employers are fully supported throughout their time on programme.”

Apprenticeships can offer so much more than just qualifications. Submitted picture

As LMC looks forward to celebrating 200 years of providing technical education across our district, we want to support employers to recruit even more apprentices, to help meet the skills gaps across many sectors, so our aim is to recruit 200 new apprentices in just 200 days!”

Increase in vacancies

Following a couple of years uncertainty in the wake of the pandemic apprenticeship vacancies are now on the increase, with a growing number of local, regional and national businesses choosing to recruit new staff through the work-based learning route. The College’s dedicated Employer Engagement Team are working with a growing number of employers from across all sectors who are keen to offer roles to apprentices.

Employer Engagement Advisor, Kelly Lightfoot, knows just how important getting the right apprentice can be for a business.

The college is helping to help meet the skills gaps across many sectors. Submitted picture

“Part of our role is to support the employer to find the right apprentice for their workplace. We offer a matching service for applicants, where we ensure they meet all of the eligibility criteria before we put them forward for interview and, because we have built a strong relationship with the employer, we are able to identify the strongest candidates for their post.”

Not just for school leavers

Apprenticeships are not just for school leavers, but those young people who choose this route get a head-start in their careers; by the time their peers have left university they will have gained 5 years’ experience within their chosen sector and will have developed valuable skills and knowledge to further their employment opportunities.

Elle Walsh, a Marketing Assistant at Clarke & Pulman is halfway through her level 3 apprenticeship and can already see the value in choosing this route. “I absolutely love my course, it's so relevant to my job role and really supports my development. I get to work on really fun projects such as working on our company magazine. I would highly recommend doing an apprenticeship.”

Lancaster & Morecambe College is launching its 200 in 200 Apprenticeship Challenge. Submitted picture

Adults can also benefit from apprenticeships and upskill in their current role with higher level, professional qualifications available including Accountancy, Leadership and Management and CYPF Practitioner.

Charlotte Rawes, the College’s Vice Principal said: “We were delighted with the success of previous campaigns and can’t wait to start this year. We’re looking forward to supporting our local and regional businesses to recruit new staff, and to help tackle skills shortages in various industries. We know apprenticeships are an enabler to a great career and improve productivity within businesses and we want to support as many local people as possible with this campaign”.

To find out more on the current vacancies of apprenticeships with Lancaster & Morecambe College, visit here.

If you’re a local business or employer looking to work with apprentices, get in touch on 01524 521 483 or visit http://www.lmc.ac.uk for more information.

Follow the #lmc200in200 mission on socials.