I visited major local employer Argus Fire to meet its apprentices and have a chat with management.
I caught up recently with executive director Simon Woodings and administrator Rachel Burford-Turner of the fire prevention firm.
However, the main purpose of the visit was for me to meet a group of apprentices as Argus recently won an award at the Nachural Summer Business Dinner and Awards 2023 for Promoting Apprenticeships. Dudley College nominated the company.
I spoke to apprentices, including five who are due to start in September.
One of the main reasons they chose the apprenticeship route was to earn some money while they worked, and they did not feel full-time education was suitable for their skills.
The apprentices have flexibility to work from home and can move between different areas of the business alongside studies at Dudley College.
I really enjoyed visiting Argus again and this time getting the chance to meet so many of its apprentices.
It was clear from the chats I had that apprenticeships are relevant to so many young people and I got the chance to explain that the Education Secretary had taken the apprenticeship route in her career and she was a big advocate for them.
I was also delighted to meet two female apprentices during the visit, one of which was a quantity surveyor.
Many thanks to Argus for inviting me and for all it does to offer good quality and well-paid careers to young people locally. Its relationship with Dudley College is important in this respect.
Argus Fire design, install and maintain all types of automatically-operating fire extinguishing systems and electronically activated fire detection and alarm systems.
Argus holds an annual apprentice day where it invites all those who have sent in applications for their apprenticeship. This year they had 34 applications.
