Aycliffe Today Business Aycliffe Today Business Issue 40 | Page 21

The magazine for Aycliffe Business Park | 21 Apprenticeships and training opportunities at employers’ fair Blue chip engineering and manufacturing firms joined schools and talented students and graduates at an Employers’ Fair held at South West Durham Training. T he free event was open to all Year 10 and Year 11 students and sixth formers, teachers, careers advisors, parents/ carers and local employers. Graduate jobs, industry placements, apprenticeship vacancies, internships and volunteering opportunities were all be up for grabs, with SWDT’s Business Development Team at hand to offer advice. And major employers included the likes of Nifco, GSK, 3M and Livin, along with Taylormade Timber and Mill Masters International. More than 20 schools in South West Durham and Tees Valley, including those who have specialist GCSE or BTEC engineering courses, were expected to attend. Both employers interested in training opportunities and potential learners, as well as school careers leads, had the opportunity to tour SWDT’s Aycliffe Business Park facility – its home for more than 50 years. Prospective learners will also be able to speak to former apprentices who have gone on to enjoy successful careers in industry. SWDT CEO Stuart Johnson said: “This fair was a great opportunity for talented students and graduates to meet employers who are recruiting for a wide range of graduate jobs, industry placements, internships and volunteering opportunities. “And for local employers attending there were opportunities to discuss HNC and HND courses with the Higher Education team, as well as to see the commercial training facilities available including our Forklift Training Centre.” Kerrie Brown, from Darlington, an advanced technical engineering apprentice with Cummins, completed her HNC in Mechanical Engineering at SWDT last year. Recruiting now for HNCs and HNDs in Engineering South West Durham Training is recruiting now for a range of part- time higher education courses which can lead to full engineering degrees. The Higher National Diplomas (HNDs) and Higher National Certificates (HNCs) are delivered over two years at its Ofsted ‘outstanding’ rated training centre here on Aycliffe Business Park. They are enrolling now for the following: > HNC/D Diploma in Electrical and Electronics Engineering Level 4/5 > HNC/D Diploma in General Engineering Level 4/5 > HNC/D Diploma in Manufacturing Engineering Level 4/5 > HNC/D Diploma in Mechanical Engineering Level 4/5. For more information visit swdt.co.uk or email [email protected] or call [phone].