Aycliffe Today Business Aycliffe Today Business Issue 39 | Page 21

The magazine for Aycliffe Business Park | 21
Billy Parker was taken on
by AG Motorserve through
South West Durham Training
and is working towards
his Level 2 Motor Vehicle
qualification.
Apprentices back national
training campaign
Young apprentices whose training has helped them launch their own careers
have thrown their weight behind a national campaign promoting apprenticeships.
C
helsea Wainwright, Lauren Kitching
and Billy Barker are just three of
Bishop Auckland College’s latest
apprenticeship success stories who are now
enjoying the benefits of full time work.
Chelsea, of Coxhoe, joined Persimmon
Homes in 2016 and after completing her
Level 3 Apprenticeship in Business
Administration she has been promoted
to Assistant Buyer at the firm’s Bowburn
offices. She is now combining a Level 4
Advanced Apprenticeship with her new
role, which sees her purchasing materials
for building sites, liaising with suppliers and
negotiating prices.
Aged just 19, Chelsea has bought her
own home and car and is loving her job. She
said: “I would definitely recommend this
apprenticeship to other young people as it
has certainly kick started my adult life in the
most positive of ways.”
Lauren, 20, of Bishop Auckland, secured
her job as a Learning Support Assistant at
the town’s
Bishop Barrington School last September
after completing her Level 3 Apprenticeship
in Supporting Teaching and Learning.
She first had to pass a work trial and
interview, after applying for the vacancy
via the National Apprenticeship Service
website. For Lauren, it meant a return to the
school she had attended as a pupil to work
in its learning support unit alongside four
colleagues.
Billy Barker, 23, left Woodham School
in 2012 and initially did a toolmaking
apprenticeship but left to join the Army in
2015 to train as a mechanical fitter. He left
the Army in 2017 as it wasn’t as hands-on as
he thought it was going to be and enrolled on
a motor vehicle maintenance apprenticeship
with Bishop Auckland College.
Billy was taken on by AG Motorserve
in Newton Aycliffe, in January 2018 and is
working towards his Level 2 Motor Vehicle
qualification.
He said: “I am really enjoying the course,
it is very practical which is what I wanted
and my employer Alex Gibson is very
supportive, always quizzing me on my
general mechanical knowledge which is
helping me learn and gain confidence. I
would recommend the apprenticeship route
for anyone who wants a career within the
motor vehicle sector.”
Bishop Auckland College supported
Chelsea, Lauren and Billy through their
training and is currently advertising vacancies
for apprenticeships in engineering, painting
and decorating, business administration,
beauty therapy, motor vehicle and PE in
schools.
As part of its support for the 12th National
Apprenticeships Week, the college is offering
schools in south Durham the opportunity to
visit its engineering training facility South
West Durham Training and has arranged with
employer partner 3M the chance for schools
to go on a tour of its manufacturing plant in
Newton Aycliffe.
Schools can also arrange for one-to-one
or group talks on apprenticeships with the
college’s apprenticeship team.
Natalie Davison-Terranova, principal and
chief executive, said: “Chelsea, Lauren
and Billy are just three of the many
apprenticeship success stories we see at
Bishop Auckland College and South
West Durham Training every year. I am
delighted to hear how well they are doing
in their chosen careers, having benefited
personally from their own apprenticeships.
“The college works with employers
across south Durham and the Tees Valley to
meet their training needs, offering a wide
range of apprenticeships at Level 2, 3 and 4
across many industry sectors. I would urge
anyone wanting to know more about local
apprenticeship opportunities to contact us.”
The college is holding open evenings from 5pm to 7pm on Monday March
25 and Wednesday April 24 at South West Durham Training in Newton
Aycliffe, where advice will be offered on all courses and training including
apprenticeships. See swdt.co.uk for details.