The magazine for Aycliffe Business Park | 15
BBC Breakfast presenter Steph presented SWDT apprentices with their end-of-year awards.
Mind the gap – Steph McGoven is warning firms about a“ real” skills gap.
SWDT’ s current centre manager, Jason Howe, said:“ Steph is a fantastic advocate for vocational training and apprenticeships. Three of our award winners were female, so we’ re seeing an increase and it’ s very encouraging to see them on an equal playing field.”
He added:“ I’ m very proud to be manager of SWDT at this time.
“ What we want to do now is sustain and maintain its legacy and the work we do with employers. But we are starting to see more growth across apprenticeships and commercial training.”
More than 100 employers joined current and past students and staff of SWDT at the event, held on the 50th anniversary of the official launch of the centre by WWII RAF fighter pilot Group Captain Sir Douglas Bader in 1967.
SWDT has had more than 10,000 young engineers through its doors over its 50 year history, many of whom work in senior positions as far afield as Australia, the US, China and Dubai. Alumni include the
Chief Executive of Gatwick Airport Stewart Wingate, the MD of car parts maker Nifco UK Mike Matthews MBE and comedian Vic Reeves.
Today the centre works with major employers across the North-East, including Hitachi Rail, GSK, Husqvarna, 3M and Thorn Lighting, as well as Cummins in Darlington, Richmond-based Pipeline Engineering, part of the multinational Circor Group, Ebac, MTE and Nifco UK in Stockton.
Other speakers at the event included chair of the County Durham Engineering and Manufacturing Network David Land, an apprentice at SWDT in the 1970s, and Dave Allison, who was among the first intake of apprentices in 1967 before returning in 1973 as an instructor. He stayed for a further 40 years before retiring in 2013.
Former Gestamp Tallent boss Land said:“ South West Durham is a known entity and has been for 50 years, and it’ s still highly regarded.
“ I think the future for training providers is strong. They need to be flexible, not just a one-track pony, it’ s about being able to adapt.
“ Businesses are going to face challenges but it’ s about being able to adapt and keep pace with modern technology.”
Apprenticeship packages and commercial programmes are tailored to the demands of these and other local employers, with training offered from Level 1 and 2 through to higher education provision at Level 4 and 5. SWDT was the first training centre in the country to gain Centre of Vocational
Excellence status in 2002. The Chief Inspector of Adult Learning in his annual report that year described SWDT as‘ world class’.
In 2014 Ofsted graded SWDT as‘ outstanding’ in all four areas: overall effectiveness, outcomes for learners, quality of teaching, learning and assessment, and effectiveness of leadership and management. It was the first member of the Group Training Association of England ever to have received an outstanding grade across all areas of provision. The same year saw the launch of a partnership between Bishop Auckland College and SWDT.
Andy Dunn from Nifco, who is chair of the SWDT board and also spoke at the ceremony, said afterwards:“ This has been a fitting celebration for South West Durham Training’ s 50th anniversary – it was great to see so many employers here – many of whom are former apprentices themselves.“ We are looking forward to a positive future, with ambitious plans to increase both the range of provision offered and learner numbers over the next few years to help local employers tackle talent gaps.”