YORK College has had a great run of apprenticeship graduation results recently.

The region’s largest provider of apprenticeship training has seen its most recent cohort of apprenticeship graduates post success rates above the national average.

My team is on hand to help match people to apprenticeships and can also provide invaluable support to businesses considering taking on an apprentice; and naturally, I’m pleased with these latest results.

In 2013/14 our success rates were outstanding. Success rates were a fantastic 82.4 per cent, that’s 13.5 per cent above the national average. Obviously that’s down to the hard work of both our students, staff and their employers, and we’re thrilled to see them all doing so well.

People are often surprised at the diverse range of apprenticeships that are available, there may be opportunities in sectors people would not usually consider for Apprenticeship training.

There are of course opportunities in areas which have traditionally been seen as ‘typical’ apprenticeship industries, such as construction, the hair and beauty sector and the hospitality sector. But there are also a huge range of apprenticeships that are less well known but equally as interesting and rewarding such as IT, accounting, dental nursing and even laboratory technicians.

And the College is building on this success with the opening of a new construction centre to further enhance its training facilities and hopefully lead to further levels of success among the College’s Apprentices.

Our Business Development Unit has dedicated staff to support apprentices and employers through every aspect of the apprenticeship journey, from application, recruitment and selection, through induction, training and assessment, even staying on hand to offer support after students have qualified and wish to progress.