GC and SWAC partner to boost county apprenticeships

Gloucestershire College is delighted to announce its partnership with SWAC (The South West Apprenticeship Company), to combine apprenticeship knowledge and offer county employers an enhanced apprenticeship service.

SWAC will move its Gloucester office to the Llanthony Road campus in August and share space with the GC Business Hub, which works closely with employers to ensure apprenticeships are relevant, responsive to their needs and enable apprentices to make a significant contribution to the success of their business.

Both organisations will now work together to develop apprenticeship opportunities for young people across Gloucestershire and the partnership will provide a cohesive message for employers looking to engage with apprenticeships; offering those who have never taken on an apprentice before an enhanced apprenticeship service.

The move forms part of the wider Gloucestershire apprenticeship plan to support businesses to engage with apprenticeships and both parties will now collaborate to help county employers to identify skills gaps and training solutions for their business.

SWAC will also continue to support local schools through its Inspiring Future Apprentices campaign, while GC continues to champion apprenticeships through the Chancellor-backed Apprentice 1000 campaign, for which it is the title sponsor.

Peter White, Vice Principal at Gloucestershire College, said: “Gloucestershire College has had a long and successful association with SWAC and we are delighted that we will have the opportunity to work even more closely as a result of this partnership. 

“Both organisations want to make employing apprentices as simple as possible. With the introduction of the new apprenticeship levy next year this approach will give employers more flexible options.”

SWAC Director Clare Vertigen said: “We are all very excited about the move to Gloucestershire College in the centre of Gloucester. This will put us at the heart of the city, making it easier for our applicants to walk in to meet us for interviews and initial assessments.

“We have worked closely with GC since we began in 2010 to support local businesses, big and small, and this move comes at the perfect time with the proposed changes in the apprenticeship reforms; sharing of apprenticeship knowledge and giving GC an apprentice employer perspective.

“Of course the South West Apprenticeship Company will still remain impartial and continue to work with multiple training providers, as this allows us to place apprentices with the provider which best suits their personal circumstances and meet the individual needs of our host employers. We place apprentices with employers over the whole of the South West region and work closely with our partner training providers to meet the needs of our apprentices and host employers.”   

Gloucestershire College currently works with over 650 businesses to train almost 1,000 apprentices each year, ranging in age from 16 to 52 and studying right up to degree level.

If you are an employer thinking about growing your business through apprenticeships, visit www.gc-apprenticeships.co.uk or call the dedicated GC Business Hub on 01452 563403.