Member Article

Former apprentices return to learn 20 years on

Two north east training providers have launched the region’s first Higher Apprenticeship in Leadership and Management and have seen several former apprentices return to the classroom as a result.

Access Training and Milltech Training have responded to the government’s push for more higher apprenticeships by launching the course, which leads to a Chartered Management Institute (CMI) Diploma in Leadership and Management.

Gateshead-based Access collaborated with Sunderland’s Milltech Training to design the programme which is available on Tyneside and Wearside.

Director of PWA Unlimited, Maria Wright, from Wallsend, has returned to Access Training to study for the NVQ Level 5 qualification 19 years after she completed her very first apprenticeship with the training provider.

When Maria left school she completed a business administration apprenticeship with a double glazing company, through Access Training, and then went on to work for an engineering company.

Since then Maria has gone on to set-up her own successful business alongside her parents, Tony and Kath. Their company specialises in business and personal development training and consultancy, including development of business strategies and neuro-linguistic programming.

Maria has decided to return to the classroom for the new Higher Apprenticeship because she wants to develop her leadership style and refresh her business planning skills to enable her to create a business plan for a new venture.

She said: “We are currently working on a succession plan for when Kath and Tony retire from the business in the next five years so I also wanted to do the course to help me prepare for managing their exit. Some of our work with clients involves advising them on managing staff and how to get the best out of them. So I wanted to experience working in a different team to my own so that I can develop my skills in analysing team dynamics.”

“I think that having the CMI Diploma will add credibility to certain aspects of my work within our business.

“The higher apprenticeship has given me a new focus. I haven’t taken part in any training for two years so it’s great to be learning again in an area that is directly relevant to our business.

“I started my career as an apprentice and I don’t know where I would be if Access Training and my first employer had not given me that chance to prove myself.”

The qualification is designed for managers to support the development of their leadership and management skills. It covers strategic decision making, managing budgets, planning and implementing change, leading teams and managing projects.

Managing director of Access Training, Malcolm Armstrong said: “We have several managers and supervisors on the course who have previously completed apprenticeships with us. The chance to gain a Higher Apprenticeship has rekindled their interest in work-based training. They want to enhance their skills and because they started out as apprentices they know the value these qualifications have.”

Access Training is based on the Team Valley and is the only training provider in Tyne and Wear to achieve the prestigious Training Quality Standard (TQS). Milltech Training is based in Sunderland city centre.

Derek Freeman of Milltech Training said: “It’s good to be working with another top class training provider, pushing boundaries and sharing resources to launch a very worthwhile qualification.”

For more information contact Access Training on 0191490 4646 or email info@accesstraining.org or Milltech Training on 0191 510 0414.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Jill Farmer (Dobson) .