Jack kick-starts caravan career with Apprenticeship
A former farmer is carving himself a new career in the caravan industry with an Apprenticeship.
Jack Clarke, 17, left school at 15 to work on the family farm in Lancaster. After his family moved, he tried his hand at practical jobs such as school caretaking and working in a ground maintenance company before starting work as a trainee engineer at Salop Leisure in Shewsbury.
Soon after starting, Salop Leisure management spied potential in Jack and offered him the opportunity to take an Intermediate Level Apprenticeship in Leisure Operations.
“I don't enjoy class based learning, which is why I decided not to go to College,” Jack says. “With an apprenticeship, I'm gaining hands on experience, qualifications and training as well as earning a wage.”
Jack began his apprenticeship in February 2011 and has now completed his health and safety and first aid certificates as well as manufacturer's product training. He is looking forward to obtaining important gas and electrical qualifications in the future.
“We have a wide variety of repairs coming into the touring caravan workshop and I'm learning all the time. I aspire to be a good engineer and produce work to the highest standards,” Jack says.
Salop Leisure HR administrator Barbara Morris says Jack is one of four apprentices at the company, with the others working in customer service, holiday homes and alongside Jack in touring caravans repairs.
“Apprenticeships provide our staff with the opportunity to gain technical and transferable skills needed for a great start in their careers. It also ensures we have well trained, competent staff to take the business forward. I would encourage all businesses in our industry to consider taking on an apprentice.”
To find out more about Apprenticeships in the sport and active leisure sector please see Apprenticeships
Training and Qualifications
SkillsActive works on behalf of the active leisure, learning and wellbeing sector to develop a framework of qualifications and training that meets employer needs, ensuring the workforce is properly trained and qualified.
Our National Skills Academy for Sport and Active Leisure works with the best training providers in our sector to deliver cost-effective, quality assured training solutions.
Training
Providing training for employees not only helps them develop their skills and knowledge – it’s also a building block to business success.
Qualifications
SkillsActive works with employers and training providers to develop vocational qualifications that enable people to be competent in specific types of work.
Quality Assurance
Discover more about how SkillsActive ensures that quality training is available to those in the sector.
Apprenticeship frameworks and guidance
SkillsActive has worked with employers to develop a set of Apprenticeship frameworks. These outline the minimum requirements needed to complete the apprenticeship at each level and for each occupation.
Apprenticeships are available in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. However, each country has a slightly different approach.
Select a country below to learn more about the frameworks available in your area.
Northern Ireland
This section contains Apprenticeship frameworks and guidance documents for Northern Ireland.
Scotland
This section contains Modern Apprenticeship frameworks and guidance documents for Scotland.
Apprenticeships: training providers
Apprenticeships are usually delivered through a partnership between an employer and a training provider, although some larger employers may also operate as the training provider for themselves and others.
SkillsActive issues Apprenticeship frameworks, which outline the minimum requirements needed to complete the Apprenticeship at each level and for each occupation. We also provide certification for apprentices in England and Wales.
Access funding for Apprenticeships
If you are a training provider in England or Wales and you would like to deliver government funded Apprenticeships, you need to hold a contract with the Skills Funding Agency.
Training providers in Scotland need to hold a contract with Skills Development Scotland. Training providers in Northern Ireland need to hold a contract with the Department for Employment and Learning.
To gain a contract, you must meet certain requirements, such as minimum contracting value. If you do not meet the minimum contracting value, you can enter into a subcontracting arrangement with a larger training provider. If you are a training provider in England, one way to do this is by joining SkillsActive’s Group Training Association.
To find out more about the Group Training Association email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Registration
Only training providers in Scotland need to register with SkillsActive to deliver Apprenticeships.
To register as a training provider with SkillsActive Scotland, email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Types of Apprenticeships
There’s a wide variety of Apprenticeships available in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
Select a country below to learn more about the types of Apprenticeships available in your area.
Frameworks and guidance
SkillsActive has worked with employers and training providers to develop a set of Apprenticeship frameworks. These outline the minimum requirements apprentices need to complete the apprenticeship at each level and for each occupation. You can then work with your employer and apprentice to identify the most suitable framework for their needs.
Learn more about the Apprenticeship frameworks available in your country by viewing Frameworks and Guidance.
Certification
At the end of their Apprenticeship, all apprentices need a certificate to show they have fulfilled the Apprenticeship requirements.
In England, Wales and Scotland, certificates are issued by SkillsActive. In Northern Ireland, they are issued by the Department for Employment and Learning.
Apprentices can apply for their own certificate or authorise their training provider to apply for one on their behalf.
Download the Apprenticeship certification request forms for England and Wales below.
- Certification Request Form England
This certificate is for apprentices completing their programme in England. - Apprentice Authorization Form England (mandatory to complete for all framework claims via the ACE system)
- Certification Request Form Wales
This certificate is for apprentices completing their programme in Wales.
To request a certificate in Scotland, email
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Verify apprentice training
Keep track of your apprentice’s training with an activepassport™
activepassportTM is an auditable online tool that will help you track and record an individual’s Guided Learning Hours - a statutory requirement of the new frameworks in England and Wales.
If you’re a training provider, activepassport™ can:
- Give you an overview of your client’s skills, qualifications and competencies
- Identify missing mandatory CPD and compliance requirements
- Help you target individuals with specific courses
- Let you access an extensive captive market, increasing sales and reducing marketing costs
- Enable you to offer clients a powerful tool for maintaining their own records.
Learn more about activepassport™ >
Consultancy
Our consultants can provide you with detailed information about delivering Apprenticeship training, or developing frameworks to suit businesses in your area.
To find out more, email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Updates
Find out about Apprenticeship framework updates and other news relevant to Apprenticeships.
Training
Providing training for employees not only helps them develop their skills and knowledge – it’s also a building block to business success.
SkillsActive works on behalf of the active leisure, learning and well-being sector to develop a framework of qualifications, training and continuous professional that meet employer needs, ensuring the workforce is properly trained and qualified.
Through our National Skills Academy for Sport and Active Leisure, we deliver those qualifications, ensuring the training is quality assured, cost effective and relevant to employers’ needs.
CPD
SkillsActive works with training providers to deliver a wide range of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) to help people maintain their professional knowledge and skills.
Business Skills
SkillsActive offers a range of resources to help people upskill in areas such as communication, literacy and numeracy, and management.
SkillsActiveCareers
SkillsActiveCareers provides expert advice on the training you need to work in the sport, fitness, playwork, outdoors and caravan industries.
Qualifications
Having a qualification to back up your knowledge and experience is increasingly important in the active leisure, learning and well-being sector.
SkillsActive works on behalf of the sector to create and deliver the qualifications employers need and want.
We make sure employers can access the right qualifications, based on national standards designed by employers, so the workforce is properly trained and qualified.
Read more about the Qualifications and Credit Framework
Vocational qualifications
SkillsActive works with employers and training providers to develop qualifications that enable people to be competent in specific types of work.
Higher Education courses
SkillsActive identifies and endorses degrees in fitness, sport and leisure that effectively prepare students for employment.
National Occupational Standards
SkillsActive is licensed by government to produce and maintain National Occupational Standards (NOS) for the active leisure, learning and wellbeing sector.