NATIONAL APPRENTICESHIP WEEK 2019

The theme for the 12th annual National Apprenticeship Week is: “Blaze a Trail” and the students at Plumpton College are doing just that. Through their expert teaching provision and expanding partnership network, Plumpton apprentices bring new energy and passion into organisations.

The College are delighted to be launching a range of exciting new partnerships with employers both locally and internationally. Through these new partnerships, the College will provide apprenticeship schemes that ensure land-based sectors are fueled with the next generation of skilled workers – what better way to celebrate National Apprenticeship Week 2019.

Apprentices will have countless opportunities to work ‘on the job’ with land-based sector giants including idverde, Bookers and the National Trust.

Through the partnership with ideverde, Plumpton College will be providing a range of horticulture apprenticeships. Ideverde are Europe’s largest provider of grounds maintenance services and landscape construction projects, with an annual turnover of €500m and 5,500 colleagues operating throughout the UK, France, and the Netherlands. Plumpton Horticulture team will be working with the apprentices to train them to offer a holistic range of services to support the creation, maintenance and management of landscapes throughout the UK, working with both public and private sector clients to deliver bespoke solutions for each project’s unique challenges.

Andrea Gomm, HR Director at ideverde said:

I am immensely proud of the opportunities we create for colleagues to flourish and develop their careers in idverde, creating and maintaining landscapes.”

Kate Nicoll, National Specialist for Garden Training at the National Trust said:

The National Trust is very excited to be offering 13 apprenticeships in its gardens around the country, using Plumpton College as its training provider. Plumpton seems a particularly good match for us, with its emphasis on traditional horticultural skills, within a beautiful rural setting. The exciting new restoration project in the Walled Garden at Stanmer Park, is an extra bonus for apprentices wanting to learn about productive gardening in a heritage setting. We look forward to a fruitful partnership in bringing on our next generation of skilled gardeners.

Jeremy Kerswell, Principal at Plumpton College said,

Our new partnerships demonstrate our passion and dedication to the land-based sector. We are committed to developing our students so that they are at the forefront of their industry, they are innovative and ready to take on the world of work.

Plumpton College apprentices go on to achieve amazing things. Rosie Masters, for example, a butchery apprentice with Lydd Butchers was named Best New Apprentice, at the Institute of Meat (IoM) and Worshipful Company of Butchers Annual Prize-giving, held at Painters’ Hall in London, on 21st February.

Rosie, who competed against apprentices from around the UK has been working with Lydd Butchers for only 2 years. She was presented with her certificate of achievement by HRH The Princess Royal, Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Butchers and Fellow of the Institute of Meat.

Apprenticeships are a great path for people at any stage of their career; from those starting out, to those re-entering the workforce, or those wanting to reskill or change careers. The sector is hungry for workers and Plumpton College is committed to meet that demand. To find out more about apprenticeship training contact Plumpton College.