1/3/12
He is studying for his qualification in Operational Services as part of his apprenticeship programme. He was presented with his certificate and prize at the annual Kingston Maurward prize-giving in early February by college principal, Clare Davison.
Tom started work at Sandford Holiday Park in Dorset in 2010, and although his role has largely been focussed on life-guarding at the busy pool, he has developed many new and valuable skills through his studies, including first aid and customer service.
Assessor Terry Margison describes him as “a likeable lad who has worked hard to complete his studies”. Terry thinks that achieving his Duke of Edinburgh award at Gold level developed Tom’s self confidence and made him an even better communicator than he was before.
Tom has matured into a competent member of the park’s staff and was promoted to Head Lifeguard because of his hard work and dedication to his job. Dan Weiss is Tom’s line manager at Sandford, and comments how much his character has developed since starting work at Parkdean. “Tom stands out from the crowd. He is genuinely one of the cheeriest people I know, and is never shy of offering what is often referred to as a “Croome Smile” which can quite literally light up any room. He is a popular member of the team who is renowned for his sense of humour - that brings joy to our customers and instant morale to the team.”
29/2/12
The programme, delivered by Sussex Downs College, in partnership with the FIA, SkillsActive, and the Sport and Fitness Employers Group (SAFE), will teach professionals to learn behavioural change techniques and how to motivate inactive audiences.
Many employers have already signed up to be part of the Joint Investment Programme (JIP) and with 1,300 fitness professionals set to benefit, more businesses have the opportunity to be part of the programme to up-skill the sector.
The programme offers employers (and those who are self-employed) match funding on the following courses:
• L2 Award in Understanding Health Improvement
• L3 Award in Adapting Exercise for Older Adults
• L3 Award in Adapting Physical Activity for Older Adults
• L2 Award in Community Activation
• L3 Unit - Enabling Individuals to Change Behaviour and Improve Health and Well-being while working as a Health Trainer
• L3 Unit - Customer Service in the Sport and Active Leisure Industry
• L3 Award in Adapting Physical Activity for Ante and Post Natal Participants
• L3 Award in Adapting Physical Activity for People with Disabilities
• L4 Certificate for the management of lower back pain
David Stalker, CEO, FIA said: “Through this programme, employers will support us to up-skill over 1,300 fitness professionals to be able to introduce a currently inactive audience to physical activity, helping us achieve a more active nation”.
Suki Kalarai, SkillsActive’s CEO said: “This is a great opportunity for employers to ensure their staff are completely up-to-date with their training without breaking the bank. In these straitened economic times training budgets can often be the first thing to be cut so we’re especially pleased to be able help ensure those working in the fitness industry carry on learning.”
Liz Kemp, Project Delivery Coordinator at Sussex Downs College said: “Sussex Downs College is delighted to be working with the FIA and SkillsActive on such a challenging, high profile national project supporting leisure and fitness employers. We are looking forward to, not only managing the network of high quality training providers that will be delivering the qualifications, but also being part of the main steering group and monitoring the impact the project has on improving the physical activity of the nation.”
Employers and self-employed fitness professionals can register their interest by emailing This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
For more information on the programme visit www.skillsactive.com/jip
Follow the programme on Twitter #SkillsFit
28/2/12
The scheme, part of the Youth Contract announced in Autumn 2011, allocates £126 million towards 55,000 teenagers in England with poor qualifications who are currently not in employment or education (NEET). It will invite bids for contracts worth up to £2,200 for each teenager who can be sustained in work, education or training for 12 months.
Suki Kalirai, interim CEO of SkillsActive, the skills council for the sport and active leisure sector, says: “The sport and active leisure sector is perfect for NEETs. Twenty-nine percent of the sector’s workforce is aged 16-24 and we offer highly attractive job roles that can help get many of the now 1 million unemployed 16 to 24 year olds off the dole queue.
“This latest initiative offers a much needed career lifeline and helps employers to source enthusiastic, skilled talent for their workforce. I urge employers in our sector to take up this opportunity to develop their workforce, reduce business costs and help alleviate the nation’s unemployment crisis, by taking on apprentices and using one of SkillsActive’s 13 different Apprenticeship frameworks.”
The number of apprentices in the sport and active leisure sector has increased 600% in the past five years; SkillsActive issued 9,342 Apprenticeship certificates in the year ending September 2011, up from 1,271 in 2006.
There are 13 Apprenticeship frameworks available in the sport and active leisure sector in England, covering job roles as diverse as activity leadership, playwork and spectator safety. SkillsActive has designed each framework in consultation with sector employers, to ensure they provide the skills businesses need.
To learn more about Apprenticeships in the sport and active leisure sector, and how your business can benefit, please visit www.skillsactive.com/takethelead
To hire a work ready, qualified Future Jobs Fund graduate please visit www.activegradates.com
Rachel (29) – who is the head coach at the Young Athletes Training Academy (YATA) in Poole – spent three weeks in Australia during August, dividing her time between Canberra and Brisbane. In Canberra, Rachel visited the Australian Institute of Sport where she got a first-hand account of the institute’s high-tech facilities at the Testing Aquatic Centre. There, she also met with Swimming Australia where she gained an insight into the structure of swimming from grass roots to elite level.
“Everyone I met with was so helpful and completely open to sharing information and showing me the facilities,” Rachel said. “The AIS is an incredible resource and I can really understand how and why Australian swimmers have been advanced for so many years.
“They have a very successful structure in place and the support the athletes receive is second to none. I believe we lack structure for youth development in the UK and need to look to countries like Australia to learn the most effective ways of developing our athletes.”
Rachel also had meetings at the Queensland Academy of Sport – a breeding ground for over 600 athletes – Surfing Australia, Swimming Queensland and the Brisbane Broncos – Queensland’s most successful Rugby League team.
She said: “Swimming Queensland is the founder of some fantastic high performance training and support methods, which continue to be rolled out to the rest of the country. For example, when an athlete retires or is injured they are offered support from the Queensland Academy of Sport to help them emotionally adjust. The academy also works with local companies, colleges and universities to help put retired athletes on a path to full-time education or work.”
Rachel believes that although sport in Australia has similar issues to the UK, including a lack of coaches, early drop out rates and obesity problems, the country has far better systems in place to manage them.
“Young athletes and their parents in Australia are provided with information on what to eat, how to recover and are given a lot more opportunities to attend swimming camps. The clubs are well run and do as much as they can to help the athletes succeed,” Rachel said.
Rachel’s unique training experience was supported by SkillsActive and the Nancy Ovens Trust. In May, Rachel beat out 57 applicants from around the country to receive one of six SkillsActive and Nancy Ovens bursaries, awarded annually to paid and un-paid individuals working within the sport, fitness, playwork, outdoors and caravan sectors. The bursaries are designed to help individuals improve their skills through an innovative training programme outside the scope of regular training.
In line with the bursary guidelines, Rachel planned her own training experience, making contact with a number of people and organisations in Australia before she left the UK. She is now putting together a comparison study from her time abroad which she hopes to share with other young coaches and sporting organisations.
Emily Smith, 19, from Aylesham, completed her Duke of Edinburgh bronze and silver awards as a personal challenge while studying for an NVQ in Sport and Recreation at Army Cadets. The Duke of Edinburgh Award is a youth development programme that provides people aged 14 to 25 with the chance to develop skills for work and life.
To achieve the final gold award, Emily was required to complete planning, training for and completion of an adventurous journey. While most UK students complete the expedition in the UK, Emily and five friends decided to up the ante by completing theirs in France.
“We wanted to challenge ourselves even further by doing it in a foreign country,” she said.
Emily was aware of the Nancy Ovens Bursary, which provides individuals with up to £2000 to improve their skills through an innovative training programme outside the scope of regular training.
She successfully applied for £250 towards expedition costs and in July 2011 she travelled to the French Pyrenees after first completing a practice trek in the Lake District. Emily says the group, who were trailed by an assessor, trekked up to 19km a day for four days - relying on their map reading skills to navigate them through the notoriously difficult terrain. And if that wasn’t challenging enough – it rained non stop the whole time.
“We had heard it was really sunny that time of year but we packed for all weather so we were okay,” she says. “The only problem we encountered was when we went off track for a few hours on a particularly misty day.”
Emily, who is now a Duke of Edinburgh assessor, says she developed key life skills on the expedition, including planning, team building, navigation and courage.
“It was an amazing opportunity I’ll never forget. I now use lots of the skills in my role as a sports assistant at Dover College Independent School. The experience also helped me secure a place at Canterbury Christchurch University, where I plan to study physical education and sports exercise science, later this year.”
Iain MacGregor, 58, from Perth in Scotland, is a shotgun coach with Sport Scotland and the only active ISSF A level qualified shotgun coach in Britain. Iain is responsible for training elite athletes - including some of those vying for spots at the Commonwealth Games - in Trap, Skeet and Double Trap shooting. However, he felt he could do with more experience with trap.
“I wanted to learn from the best, and that person is [former GB coach] Marcello Dradi from Italy,” Iain says. “He’s now responsible for training the national teams from India, Malaysia, Lebanon and Thailand.”
Fortunately, Iain heard about the Nancy Ovens Bursary. Sponsored by SkillsActive and named after the late Nancy Ovens, a former SPRITO board member, the bursary provides individuals with up to £2000 to improve their skills through an innovative training programme outside the scope of regular training.
Iain’s application for £600 was successful and in July 2011 he travelled to Bologna, Italy to shadow his idol for a week. There, he watched Marcello train Olympic shooters from the nations mentioned above, learned some of Marcello’s top trap secrets, and drafted a new trap training programme.
“As a coach, Marcello is much more aggressive than me and very focussed on technical details,” Iain says.
“He showed me how moving somebody’s feet a micron, correcting their posture, or bringing their gun back in their shoulder makes all the difference when you’re dealing with Olympic level shooters.”
Iain has no doubt the experience will benefit his learners – as well as his CV.
“Marcello gave me the confidence to work more closely with my students on smaller details that could affect the outcome of their trap shooting, as well as the importance of developing their focus so they can better predict the direction of their target.
“My learners are now benefitting from my time with Marcello and, if I keep improving my skills and helping elite athletes, hopefully I’ll be using his advice to train athletes as GB coach at the next Olympic Games!”
24/2/12
The same study into Scotland's Modern Apprentices also found that the MA programme is highly regarded by almost all of its participants with 98% describing their experiences positively and four out of five praising the support they get.
This large scale survey was carried out in November 2011 by SDS's Evaluation and Research team. The survey was designed to collect feedback from Modern Apprentices on their experiences of the MA programme and was completed by over 700 MAs who are currently in training.
Dr. Lynne Robson, from the Evaluation and Research team, explains: "This survey illustrates how our new research team can help colleagues within SDS. Working closely together, we can provide robust evidence on customer perceptions which can feed into SDS's desire for continuous improvement."
Katie Hutton, Head of National and Local Government Relationships comments: "This report is a key component of our continuous improvement process for National Training Programmes. It has given us valuable insight into the views and experiences of participants, and it is particularly encouraging, to all those involved in delivering this programme, that the vast majority of apprentices' views are so positive."
You can read the full report and analysis of results on the Skills Development Scotland website
23/2/12
The two day WorldHost customer service training is developed by NITB and People 1st, the sector skills council for hospitality, passenger transport, travel and tourism, and designed for people working in any industry where the quality of front-line customer service is key to business success.
If you are currently employed in a private organisation in Northern Ireland within the tourism sector, then the cost of WorldHost customer service package could be as little as £20. This is thanks to funding from the Department for Employment in Learning in Northern Ireland negotiated by SkillsActive Northern Ireland.
The programme includes:
The support is available to a limited number of applicants for training received until the end of March 2012.
For more information on the WorldHost programme please visit www.worldhostni.com or contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
21/2/12
Recruitment is now underway for positions on the year-long programme, which provides the opportunity for apprentices to gain nationally recognised qualifications whist working in a football related setting. Successful applicants will have the chance to be employed in one of the counties three high profile football organisations - Ipswich Town FC Needham Market FC, and Suffolk FA - in coaching, playing, administration or football development.
The FA’s Head of the National Game, Kelly Simmons, is delighted that football organisations across the landscape are working together in Suffolk to provide the opportunity for young people.
“We are really excited about this Apprenticeship programme because it uses the attraction of football to give many young people their vital first employment opportunity. Not only does it support them in developing long-term options within the football industry, but it reinforces the FAs commitment through the National Game Strategy to developing a strong club, league and administrative infrastructure within the grass roots community game.
“The FA are working closely with SkillsActive to ensure quality Apprenticeships are embedded across the game with strong commitments from all those interested in developing and nurturing the future talent of football coaching, refereeing and administration.”
The programme has already employed 40 apprentices since it was established in July 2011, including Elliot Jarrold, 16, from Needham Market. Elliot says: “I always wanted to work in sport but I wasn’t sure how to get started, until I heard about this Apprenticeship. I went along to the trial where I was tested on my technical ability, and I got in. Now I’m gaining the skills to be a football coach, improving my game and earning money. It’s great!”
The training is coordinated by Suffolk-based provider, WS Training. WS Training’s Head of Vocational Learning, Simon Page says: “We’re delighted to be helping deliver training to young people as part of this innovative scheme. This is a great example of how working together can bring about positive outcomes for a large group of young people who an interest in working in sport.”
Young People on the Apprenticeship programme will follow the frameworks designed by SkillsActive, in consultation with employers. The apprentices will gain nationally recognised qualifications such as an NVQ in Activity Leadership NVQ and FA Coaching Awards.
SkillsActive’s Head of National Partnerships, Stephen Mitchell, says: “More and more employers are turning to Apprenticeships as an effective way to recruit, develop and retain effective employees. SkillsActive is proud to be supporting the delivery of football Apprenticeships in Suffolk.”
For more information about the apprentice opportunities see http://www.wstraining.co.uk/apprenticeships-nvqs/football-apprenticeships
7/2/12
The Brathay Apprentice Challenge will pit eight teams of apprentices against each other in a range of challenges designed to test young people’s business acumen, team working and even physical endurance.
The teams, which include apprentices from Bentley, the Co-operative, Virgin Media, the National Apprenticeship Service, Rolls-Royce, Balfour Beatty, defence manufacturers MBDA and aerospace firm Cobham, will be joined by a team made up of apprentices who are also GB Junior Rowing Team potentials – supported by AASE apprentice and Junior World Champion Finalist Jack Beaumont (pictured).
Following two months of challenges designed to test teams’ abilities to work together, fundraise for a variety of charities and spread the word about what apprentices can achieve, the Challenge will come to a head with a full day contest at Brathay’s Cumbrian training HQ on 16th March.
The challenges will test teams’ problem solving and physical endurance as they end the day with a 10-mile whaler boat race across Lake Windermere.
AASE apprentice and rower Jack Beaumont said: “I am proud to be supporting the Brathay Apprentice Challenge. Many athletes who are representing our country, at the highest level, have completed SkillsActive’s Advanced Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence and so we know first hand the positive impact Apprenticeships have not just on those who take them, but on wider society.”
Jez Anderson from the Brathay Trust, commented: “The Challenge is designed to build on the work we have been doing for many years, helping apprentices’ personal development and demonstrating that apprentices don’t just help businesses grow, they also help develop their local communities.
“The search for the apprentice team of the year will not only demonstrate the formidable skills of the nation’s apprentices, but demonstrate the range of careers available to apprentices.”
Jaine Bolton, Director of the National Apprenticeship Service, welcomed the launch of the challenge.
“We know that one of the main reasons employers offer Apprenticeships is to build skills capacity in their businesses and this Challenge will bring to life the benefits apprentices bring to employers.
"In this new era of higher quality Apprenticeships, that are helping the nation’s businesses grow, more needs to be done to recognise the incredible talent and success of the nation’s apprentices.
“Events like the Brathay Apprentice Challenge are vital in ensuring the success of our apprentices is celebrated and rewarded.”
The Brathay Challenge will form part of the ‘new era for Apprenticeships’ campaign – full details of which will be announced at a Parliamentary Reception as part of National Apprenticeship Week.
To find out about Apprenticeships visit www.apprenticeships.org.uk or call 08000 150 600. To find out more about the Advanced Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence, visit www.skillsactive.com/aase
Source: National Apprenticeship Service
Contact SkillsActive | Work for SkillsActive | Our Board | Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy | Accessibility
SkillsActive UK is a registered charity no. 1098336 and a company limited by guarantee registered in
England and Wales no. 4661021, registered office Castlewood House, 77-91 New Oxford Street, London, WC1A 1DG.
© 2013 SkillsActive
