National Apprenticeship Week

Gem Cable Solutions

As a Quality in Careers School, we marked National Apprenticeship Week in style. Students in Year 7, 10, 12 and 13, had the chance to attend a presentation from Steve Jack and Sarah McMaster from Gem Cable Solutions – a local engineering company. Both Sarah and Steve have been apprentices and explained the benefits of working alongside studying, which apprenticeships provide. Steve now owns and runs the company after starting as an apprentice! Steve and Sarah also explained the countless opportunities to travel and experience different aspects of business that their apprenticeships provided. In addition to working in an office, Steve has travelled the world working for the Aerospace industry and has even been part of the launch team for space satellites and has more recently worked on the Mars Rover, which is being built in Stevenage. We want to extend a big thanks to Steve and Sarah and Gem Cable Solutions for such an inspiring and informative presentation!

Grant Thornton Talk

We were also delighted to be joined by Tom Pearce from Grant Thornton, who shared his own personal experiences of an Accounting apprenticeship and what different types and levels of apprenticeship are now offered, including degree apprenticeships, which enable students to earn, learn and secure a degree. Grant Thornton is a major employer of apprentices with 5000 opportunities a year and Tom answered numerous questions from interested students. He also advised students and parents to use an excellent Apprenticeship search tool - please click here for further information. Our connection with Grant Thornton and Gem Cable Solutions were both facilitated by our Member of the Academy Board, Mr Julian Greenaway, who was for many years a Senior Manager for Grant Thornton. We hugely appreciate Julian’s support of the school.

Mr Richards, Assistant Headteacher