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Solar is here to stay and young Apprentices get the edge
With the news in recent days focusing on the rising cost of gas and electricity and the impact of climate change, a Learning and Skills Council (LSC) ‘expert class’ couldn’t have come at a better time for young gas engineering Apprentices in Kent on Thursday.
Offered as part of the LSC’s ‘From Competence to Excellence’ programme, the ‘Gas Engineering: Solar Systems’ class, run at the Baxi Group Training Centre in Dartford, offered gas engineers an expert introduction to solar systems.
Over 5,000 Apprentices have attended LSC expert classes throughout the South East in the past six months. They are designed to give the cream of the crop of this year’s Apprentices the chance to develop advanced skills.
Neil Hillier, who ran the course in Dartford, said: “With rising fuel prices, fuel poverty and continuing talk of global warming, solar systems will be a major part of every gas engineer’s working life in the future.”
The Apprentices were taken through an introduction to renewable technologies, the reasons why we are using these technologies, the different types of solar systems and collectors and the practical details of commissioning and installing solar systems.
The class gave the Apprentices an insight into the latest technology and innovation in their field and underlined the world class skills they will need in tomorrow’s workplace.
Neil continues: “We received some very positive feedback. This technology is new to British market and they were surprised at how much we fitted in to a day.”
Stephen Gardner, Director of Apprenticeships at the LSC said: “The LSC believes that this programme will help Apprentices and vocational learners to take their skills to world-class levels to move from being competent to excellent. The classes also allow trainers to develop better links with employers and really promote expert skills across a range of industries.”
There are currently 240,000 Apprentices working in over 130,000 organisations in England alone, across 80 different sectors of industry. Apprenticeships are also increasingly being recognised and used as a pathway to university, often part time and with financial support from their employer whilst they continue to work.
The From Competence to Excellence programme is a stepping stone for participants, helping them move from learners to experts. With the UK WorldSkills event on the horizon, some of them may even become future entrants to the UK WorldSkills Event in London in October 2011.
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Notes to editors:
For further information about expert classes please contact Gail Buckle or Kirsty Shaw at BOTTLE PR or go to www.fcte.co.uk
About From Competence to Excellence
From Competence to Excellence is funded by the LSC and supported by UK Skills. Deloitte MCS Limited has been appointed by the LSC to co-ordinate the delivery of the expert classes and to source the employers and training providers involved.
About Learning and Skills Council:
The LSC exists to make England better skilled and more competitive. It is responsible for ensuring the availability of high-quality education and training for everyone. It has a single goal: to improve the skills of England’s young people and adults to world class standards. Its vision is that young people and adults in England have knowledge and skills matching the best in the world and are part of a truly competitive workforce. The LSC works nationally, regionally and locally to deliver this ambition on behalf of learners and employers.
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