Minister gets a warm welcome
ter took a guided tour of the building.
Mrs Milton was shown the maintenance and fabrication workshops, CNC and mechanical workshops, demonstration areas, automotive workshop and spray booths before engaging in a round table discussion with employers and apprentices currently working with the college.
With overwhelming positive feedback from the students on their current apprenticeships and representation from Reliance Precision and BASF Plc, Mrs Milton was keen to learn more about the businesses and the challenges they faced within the apprenticeship sector.
Katie Rankin, apprentice and graduate programme leader at chemicals firm BASF Plc, said: “We are passionate about developing our teams through job-specific training and qualifications, and apprenticeships form a key part of this development.
“We were delighted to have the opportunity to discuss the key business challenges and future aspirations around skills development with the Minister for Skills and Apprenticeships.”
College principal Marie Gilluley feels passionate about the provision of apprenticeships and the scope of engineering businesses within the region and said: “Engineering crosses all sectors and Kirklees is very much seen as the place for making things and making things happen.
“As a college we are proud and passionate about the wide variety of engineering companies and opportunities that exist and the fantastic support the college and students receive from local stakeholders and businesses.”
Points raised from the discussion included ‘the need for employers to talk directly to the parents of students to really highlight the benefits of apprenticeships as a route of study’ and ‘the significant contribution apprenticeships are making to businesses and the wider economy.’
Afterwards Robert Farrell, training call team leader for Reliance Precision Ltd, said: “It was great to meet the minister and be able to explain how the Reliance apprenticeship provides interesting and challenging opportunities in highly technical engineering disciplines as well as to hear of her commitment to increasing the quality and uptake of apprenticeships in industry.”
Mrs Milton said of her visit: “It was a pleasure to visit Kirklees College in Huddersfield, which is training the next generation of engineers.
“Kirklees have put in a huge amount of work to make sure the students get the experience they need, working closely with local employers. It was good to see women apprentices taking up the fantastic opportunities that engineering and manufacturing apprenticeships can bring.
“Well supported apprentices become the skilled workforce of the future and congratulations are due to Kirklees College and employers like Reliance Precision and BASF plc.” ■■For more information about Kirklees College and apprenticeships visit the open day on Saturday, November 24. Find out more at www.kirkleescollege.ac.uk ATTITUDE7, a training and development organisation from Brighouse, has been crowned the regional winner for the Yorkshire and Humber heats of the Chamber Business Awards 2018.
Now in their 15th year, the awards are a highlight of the business calendar, recognising the key role that local businesses play in driving the UK economy.
The Education & Business Partnership award winner, Lattitude7, will now go forward to represent the Yorkshire & the Humber region in the national finals, which take place in London in November.
Martin Haigh, owner of Lattitude7, said: “Our focus and key differentiator at Lattitude7 is to ensure that our customers have a great learning experience and that their personal development and company improvement is sustainable.
“I am delighted that we have been recognised in this particular category for this year’s Chamber Business Awards. I would like to thank both the British Chamber of Commerce and the Mid Yorkshire Chamber for the amazing work that they do and for this award.”
Martin Hathaway, managing director of the Huddersfield-based Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “We are delighted that one of our members, Lattitude7, has been announced as a regional winner in the Chamber Business Awards 2018.
“The Chamber Business Awards are a great opportunity for us to celebrate our members’ achievements, to take stock of the great performances of UK businesses over the past year, and to encourage and inspire others to follow in their footsteps.
“We wish Martin Haigh and the team at Lattitude7 all the best for the national final.”