Apprenticeships are being put in to focus and celebrated in Essex during the 12th National Apprenticeship Week which starts on Monday March 4.

East Anglian Daily Times: Workshop training at Colchester Institute. Picture: COLCHESTER INSTITUTEWorkshop training at Colchester Institute. Picture: COLCHESTER INSTITUTE (Image: Colchester Institute)

An invitation only day event will take place from 8.30am to 3pm and the campus will then be open to the public from 4pm to 7pm.

Throughout the day, Colchester Institute’s Braintree campus is set to welcome an estimated 1,200 Year 10 students from schools around the Braintree District area.

The event, organised in partnership with Braintree IAG Cluster Group, Essex Employment and Skills Board and Make Happen, will highlight the benefits of an apprenticeship as an excellent pathway to a career.

Colchester Institute has been a passionate supporter of the annual occasion and will be delivering Apprenticeship Information Events again this year as part of its ongoing commitment to delivering apprenticeship training.

The event is being held in the College’s STEM Innovation Centre with MP for Braintree, James Cleverly expected to be in attendance. Mr Cleverly is familiar with the College, having previously attended the launch of the centre back in 2017.

A variety of employers, exhibitors, current apprentices and the college’s own apprenticeship team will be on hand to offer a wealth of information aimed at helping students to make an informed decision about their future options.

The campus will then open to the public at 4pm, where anyone is welcome to attend to find out more about apprenticeships.

There are often misconceptions that apprentices can only be recent school leavers.

In fact there is no upper age limit for undertaking an apprenticeship, with many organisations using apprenticeships as a rigorous training method for existing members for staff, no matter how old they are.