National Apprenticeship Week (10th-16th February 2025) was a fantastic celebration of skills, training and career opportunities, and Northumberland Skills was at the heart of the action!
Throughout the week, we hosted and attended a range of events, giving learners and young people the chance to explore the exciting world of apprenticeships and industry careers. Here’s a look back at some of the highlights.
Advanced Manufacturing taster session
We launched our activities with an Advanced Manufacturing Taster Session on Saturday 8th February, where around 30 young people currently sitting their GCSEs explored their first steps into an engineering career.
This hands-on session at our engineering campus at the Energy Central Learning Hub provided invaluable insight into the skills, knowledge and pathways available to those looking to pursue engineering apprenticeships in their future career.
We run free taster sessions across the year to welcome prospective learners in to understand and try out the various study programmes and pre-apprenticeships we offer. You can sign up to our upcoming tasters here.
Apprenticeship Connect event at County Hall, Morpeth
On Saturday 15th February, we attended the Apprenticeship Connect event at County Hall in Morpeth. This was an excellent opportunity for attendees to meet current apprentices, managers and apprenticeship providers, including our team here at Northumberland Skills.
Conversations were buzzing as future apprentices gained first-hand insights into various industries and career options.
Get the next Apprenticeship Connect event in your diary – more details can be found by clicking here.
Work trials and real-world experience
Throughout the week, Finley Fenwick-Dunn, one of our Advanced Manufacturing Engineering (AME) learners, embarked on a work trial at Hyserve Ltd.
Work trials are an opportunity for an employer and potential apprentices to get to know each other better and make sure they are a match before committing to a formal offer of employment. We hope this model will de-risk the recruitment process for the employer and apprentice.
Industry insights and employer engagement
Numerous events on Wednesday 12th February helped learners to shape their thoughts about the future with hands-on experiences and opportunities to speak to industry experts.
Career Sprint event at the Energy Central Learning Hub, Port of Blyth
All Advanced Manufacturing Engineering learners took part in a fast-paced networking event at Energy Central, where they met a variety of employers and industry experts, gaining valuable career advice and insights.
Northumbrian Water site visit
Learners Daniel Gillis and Steven Aspinall earned a special visit to Northumbrian Water’s Willington Quay water treatment site as a reward for their outstanding performance in the hand fitting unit.
This visit was supported by John Fielding, Principal Electrical Engineer at Northumbrian Water, who recognised their hard work and dedication.
GEV wind power talk
In the afternoon, GEV Wind Power visited our learners to discuss the role of renewable energy engineers and the exciting opportunities in the sector.
Paul Cottiss, Lecturer in Advanced Manufacturing and Renewable Engineering at Northumberland Skills’ campus at the Energy Central Learning Hub, said: "Career Sprint, employer talks and site visits have been a fantastic opportunity for our learners to engage with employers, gain confidence and experience in presenting themselves in interview-like settings, both on and off-site.
“It’s been great to see our learners take part, developing key skills that will support their future careers. The fast-paced, dynamic environment of Career Sprint allowed them to discover different employers and the varied job opportunities as they begin to explore their next steps into the industry, whilst stepping into the workplace at some of our site visits is invaluable in setting the scene for the future.”
Exciting demonstrations and hands-on experiences
Thursday 13th February saw incoming and outgoing visits exploring tech and its place in the future of diverse engineering industries, as well as showcasing our own state-of-the-art facilities at our campus at the Energy Central Learning Hub.
TEXO drone demonstration
TEXO showcased how drone technology is revolutionising inspection activities, speeding up processes while reducing risks.
Learners got an up-close look at how drones are used in engineering and construction industries.
St Cuthbert’s RC Primary School visit
A group of 17 Year 6 pupils from St Cuthbert’s RC Primary School in North Shields took on an impressive 24-mile round cycling trip to visit the Energy Central Learning Hub.
The pupils learned about apprenticeships, explored our cutting-edge facilities, and discovered how we support young people in kickstarting their engineering careers.
Looking ahead – Your future starts here!
National Apprenticeship Week was an inspiring and action-packed series of events, demonstrating the value of apprenticeships and real-world learning. A huge thank you to all the learners, employers and organisations who made it such a success!
Alyn Carr, Senior Skills Development Manager - Apprenticeships, Construction, Green Energy and SEND at Northumberland Skills, shared his thoughts on the impact of these events: “Engaging with employers and experiencing real-world working environments is crucial for our learners.
“These events provide them with the confidence and insight they need when making informed decisions about their future career direction. Seeing first-hand what different industries offer helps them connect their learning to real career opportunities.”
If you’re considering an apprenticeship, now is the perfect time to take the next step.
Find out more about the variety of pre-apprenticeships, full-time study programmes and apprenticeship training programmes we offer at: northumberlandskills.co.uk/
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