A number of events are being held across Moray to mark the sixth Skills Development Scotland Modern Apprentice Week from 29 February to 4 March. The events are designed to appeal to employers, young people and their parents to help increase the number of placements for apprenticeships in Moray and to try to attract the right young person to the right career.

The events are aimed at giving more information to employers considering taking part in an apprenticeship scheme, as well as young people considering an apprenticeship and parents of young people.

The Modern Apprentice Employer Event takes place at Moray College UHI on Wednesday 2 March from 0900 hrs to 1400 hrs and is designed to support employers considering taking on an apprentice. Guest speakers will talk on the New Foundation Apprenticeship, the local Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce on the local economy. Advisors from Skills Development Scotland will be on hand to provide guidance on the different types of apprenticeships available, the benefits to business, the funding available how the process works.

A Showcase event at 1000 hrs again at Moray College will give the Modern Apprentices of the future the chance to talk to training providers as well as employers who already employ apprentices.

On the evening of Wednesday 2 March the Skills Development Office in the High Street, Elgin will host a Meet the Parents event from 1700 to 1900 hrs so that parents can get information on the benefits of Modern Apprenticeships first-hand.Parents will be able to meet local employers and training providers, along with staff from the SDS Careers Information Advice and Guidance service based in schools across Moray. Also offering advice will be the SDS employer engagement team to answer questions about apprenticeships so parents can provide information to their children to help guide them with their future careers.

Throughout the week employers and their apprentices will visit schools across Moray to meet Modern Apprentices of the future and help inspire the next generation.Modern Apprentices and employers will talk to the young people about their experiences, answer questions and explain what an MA can offer in terms of having a job, getting paid, and getting qualified.

Modern Apprentice Week, supported by Skills Development Scotland, highlights the commitment of businesses that have decided to invest in the skills of their workforce and showcases the success of apprentices who have chosen to get a job, get paid and get qualified to develop their careers.

The campaign offers you chance to find out more about Modern Apprenticeships and showcase the benefits apprentices have brought to businesses.

Case Study - Fochabers Fish Bar

Darren Boothroyd has been running the Fochabers Fish Bar with his wife Ruth for the last 2 1/2 years after leaving RAF Lossiemouth where he was an Aircraft Engineer. He has 7 employees of which 4 have undergone Modern Apprenticeships and a further 2 are due to start in April this year. Such is their commitment that in 2015 the Fochabers Fish Bar won Modern Apprentice Micro Business Employer of the Year Award at a ceremony in Edinburgh. The Micro Employer of the Year Award rewards employers with 10 employees or fewer, who have shown exceptional commitment to the Modern Apprenticeship. Not surprisingly, Darren is a great supporter of the Modern Apprenticeship scheme and would have it no other way.

"I spent many years in my previous job with the RAF training young engineers and based on my experience in seeing what a well-trained and skilled engineer can bring to the company, not just the technical knowledge and skills but also the enthusiasm and confidence, I was keen to give my staff the opportunity to benefit from learning skills and working towards a qualification which would benefit both them and the company. The Modern Apprenticeship scheme allows you to pick and choose units to suit your business over and above a set number of core units and I am already seeing the benefits to my business in increased customer satisfaction which comes from a confident and motivated workforce. This applies across the board from the pot washer to the sales assistant – in this business it’s not just about the excellent quality of the food but the whole package.

"We received lots of help from Polaris Learning, our learning provider, and invaluable help from the Skills Development Scotland Team in Elgin as well as various websites and have only one message for those employers considering taking on an apprentice: "Modern Apprenticeships Work.” 

Isla Cruickshank (23) began working in a fish and chip shop in Keith when still at school as a Saturday job and loved it so much that after leaving Keith Grammar School applied for a full-time job in Fochabers and has never looked back. Her job involves food handling and preparation, stock control and as a Supervisor, supervising staff. Isla began the Apprenticeship in April 2014 and qualified six months later in September 2014. All the training was done in Fochabers at the fish shop where an assessor came every two weeks to assess Isla at work on the various modules. In between shift times Isla could study at work or at home in her own time – a system that suited Isla who had had no aspirations for further study on leaving school.

"I lacked the qualifications for University but would choose a Modern Apprenticeship over Uni any day – this way I keep doing a job I enjoy and learn at the same time. I found the studying fairly easy and the interaction with the Assessor was nice. This way I get a qualification and am still earning money. It’s a win/win situation.”

For anyone considering an apprenticeship Isla, who hopes one day to see her own name above the door, says: "Go for it, do it. It’s worth your time.”