Over 600 students from across Basingstoke and Deane attend EBP South’s Virtual Apprenticeship Theatre to learn about the benefits of apprenticeships.
On Thursday 3rd February 2022, in the lead up to national apprenticeship week, EBP South (inc. Basingstoke Consortium) held a Virtual Apprenticeship Theatre, sponsored by Thames Water and supported by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, for students across Basingstoke and Deane to learn all about apprenticeships.
Over 600 students attended the event to learn from apprentices working at Thames Water, Tech Data, Procter & Gamble and the Army Careers Centre. Having the opportunity to ask the apprentices questions and hear about their experiences allowed the students to gain a real insight into the benefits of undertaking an apprenticeship. 63 percent of students who filled in surveys after the event said that they’d learnt about apprenticeship opportunities that I didn’t know about before the event.
The event provided businesses with the opportunity for their apprentices to speak directly to students and help them think about different career options and pathways. Liz Banks, Education Manager from Thames Water said “We were delighted to sponsor and join the Apprenticeship Theatre and find out about how young people are joining organisations to work, train, develop skills and achieve their career goals. Apprenticeships play a key role in our business – whether advanced, higher or degree apprenticeships – and it was clear from the students who took part in the event that they are really keen to explore apprenticeships as an exciting and rewarding route into work.”
Jen Laidlaw, Project Manager at EBP South (inc. Basingstoke Consortium) said, “This event provided students with an important chance to hear from apprentices and learn from their first-hand experiences. With apprentices speaking to students from their workplaces, in one case even from a van working onsite, this event gave students a real-world insight into the world of work.”