Award winning initiative backs Apprenticeship Week
THE pioneering Loughborough College School Sport Apprenticeship initiative has shown its support for National Apprenticeship Week by praising the efforts of its apprentices.
The award-winning programme was created by Loughborough College – which was recently awarded Outstanding for its apprenticeships by education watchdog Ofsted – and has been praised for its role in inspiring and motivating young people in 17 primary and secondary schools.
Laura Dexter, Danny Bray, Charlotte Harvey and Josh Taylor are among the apprentices trained by Loughborough College to assist with lessons, lead lunchtime and after-school clubs, organise and deliver competitive sport and sports event and to develop community links - with their schools so impressed with the difference they have made to pupils that they are already in talks to continue working with them beyond their apprenticeships.
Loughborough Sport Development Manager Rob Jarram said: “National Apprenticeship week is about celebrating the impact of apprenticeships on their relevant industries as well as the impact they have on young people and their careers.
“Our School Sport Apprenticeship continues to demonstrate this to a very high level with so many success stories throughout each year we deliver the programme.
“Our focus is increasingly on the health and wellbeing agenda, as directed by the Department of Health and I believe our appren- ticeship programme develops the young people we train to help schools to deliver high quality support and provision in this area of their pupils’ development.”
Loughborough MP Nicky Morgan spoke on how the quality and diversity of PE teaching is improved, boosting children’s participation in sport, encouraging healthier lifestyles and inspiring confidence in young people. with the initiative also offering not only the opportunity of an apprenticeship but also a chance to take the first steps towards a rewarding career.
Some schools involved with the Loughborough College initiative have been so happy they have taken on two apprentices - last year eight of the schools gave their apprentice a job while the others were offered positions, including with coaching companies, and five went on to study for a degree.