Apprenticeship Graduation Ceremony 2016

By Admin on March 22, 2016 • ( 0 )

Youth Cabinet Chair Precious Otor attends the Apprenticeship Awards Ceremony and tells us how it went.

Apprenticeship week is currently the hot topic of discussion amongst the many young and adult individuals that it affects, but unlike previous years I had the great honour of being able to be in the very heart of the celebration not only by being there to witness and hail the achievements and accomplishments of those in West Sussex, that had completed their apprenticeship course, but by also having the great distinction of carrying the torch heralding the start of the ceremony. The minute long walk to Chichester Cathedral from the Novium Centre, carrying the torch, was a moment in time I will not be forgetting anytime soon.

It was eye opening to me to note the large variety of subjects that the graduates had gotten their qualifications in and to listen to the success stories of both business men and others who had already done an apprenticeship and to see how passionate they were about encouraging others to see an apprenticeship as not just something that people who drop out of school may do, but as a viable alternative pathway to going to university.

As someone who strives in giving the young people of West Sussex a voice and making sure that they are being represented in all manner of debates and issues, I thought it was quite encouraging to see how apprenticeships are being given the recognition and accreditation that it deserves, as I have seen in my local constituency that many young people are looking for alternative routes to getting a carrier or doing the things they love, and in the current global market more and more corporate businesses are looking for young people who not only have the knowledge of their chosen course but have already developed skills and experiences that will make them competent workers; skills and experiences that I believe an apprenticeship allows them to develop whilst still learning and working in their chosen fields.

I warmly congratulate all those who received their certificates at the award ceremony and wish them all the luck in their future endeavours. It is both encouraging and stupefying to see how successful apprenticeships have become since they were introduced, and within due time will hopefully not be as stigmatised as they can sometimes be, it is my hope that in the future apprenticeships and apprentices are given their due representation in the work force in all fields of study.

Written by Precious Otor – Youth Cabinet Chair.

Time Lapse Video