On expertise in apprenticeships: Centre of Excellence
Last week, I discussed my thoughts on the construction of Wolsey’s Gate in the centre of Ipswich. Within this article, I argued that a new college for degree apprentices would be integral to a ‘Centre of Excellence’ within the town.
This?Centre of Excellence would be?recognised, both nationally and internationally, for the quality of its apprenticeship provision. I would argue that this would entrain civic pride amongst communities across Ipswich, particularly in the town’s contribution to education.?This would be especially pertinent in the wake of the college gate monument, erected during the Spill Festival.
Similarly, the Government has announced the?expert apprenticeship training pilot.?However, my proposal would be extended across the town of Ipswich as a whole, rather than being specific to training providers. That is,?everyone in Ipswich would be communally involved in making the town into the centre of excellence, from employers to training providers to local schools.
But you may ask – what does excellence look like? As I discussed briefly, I believe that a Centre of Excellence would need to ensure the highest quality in the following areas:
To understand my vision, each of these will be analysed in turn.
Incoming
We need to ensure that candidates coming into Ipswich-based positions are of the highest quality. That is, any employer based in Ipswich and any training provider in Ipswich (or both) must have the widest pool of candidates possible.
To increase the prestige of apprenticeships, they should be available to anyone regardless of location. In the case of Ipswich, degree apprenticeships should be advertised as widely and as early as possible. This can be achieved using social media or advertising in transport hubs (e.g.?London train stations), outreach to Ipswich schools and engagement with local employers.
After selecting candidates, physical accommodation needs to be provided. This ensures that degree apprentices have the experience of moving away from?home, and?allows for the best candidates to be accommodated even if they are originally from a distant place. For Ipswich-based apprentices, this would still be useful?as it would give them an opportunity to leave home for the first time, where they can also learn essential life skills.
From the town's perspective, this also provides an incentive for retail and leisure activities as the degree apprentices must be allowed to relax. This would increase the amount of local engagement with the town, allowing local businesses to flourish in an environment previously consisting of closed buildings.
Another important component of people coming into Ipswich would be the expertise that the town would be able to provide to others, in the same manner as the Government's recent pilot.
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Outgoing
Any apprentice?educated in Ipswich would have a reputation for quality, in the way that any student?from a prestigious university implies the quality of their full-time education.?The town will be known for producing candidates suitable for any apprenticeship or full-time university course, just as Cambridge is known for producing world-class academics.
In practice, this means adjusting the vision of apprenticeship outreach so that all students are considered.?Students must be considered as early as possible for apprenticeships alongside full-time?university, and?must?be?optimal?candidates for whichever?option?they choose. Whilst the diversity?of degree?apprentice candidates is recognized, excellence in both academic and practical skills must be?sought?(in addition to their intersections and applications).
Practically, this can be achieved in the?short-term?by insisting that any schools in Ipswich must present all sixth form students for?apprentice-run assemblies?without?favour?or prejudice.
In the long term,?it should be normal that?employers?from across the UK converge in Ipswich?for degree?apprenticeship careers events. There should be multiple events, each specializing in a different field of work and education.?Attending these events should not only be a normal part of Ipswich life for students, but for anyone in Ipswich seeking?apprenticeship?regardless of age.
Research
Research capabilities into apprenticeships should be distributed across all organisations within Ipswich. To ensure excellence, the research should be collaborative and must work at and beyond the state of the art.
Engagement with this research should reach all levels of the town, especially the apprentices. Creating a centre of excellence may be addressed in the apprentices' curriculum, with the intent of engendering a community cohesion. However, this would require 24-hour libraries, so that apprentices may study outside of working hours.
Whilst apprenticeship research currently exists, my view is that Ipswich must differentiate itself. In this regard, Ipswich should not only focus on ethnographical studies and implementation details, but also on:
Over the previous two weeks, I have enjoyed the time reflecting on the educational legacy of Thomas Wolsey in Ipswich. Whilst I am currently in a small position to effect real change, I would appreciate any opportunity to present my ideas to those who are. Please contact me on LinkedIn, I would love to hear from you.