The voice of UK industry

It’s been a busy start to 2016 with several activities ramping up in order to meet delivery targets. One of the key activities for us has been our involvement in development of the new trailblazer apprenticeship for composites technicians.

The apprenticeship is due for delivery from September 2016 so there’s a lot of industry excitement as we will finally have a dedicated apprenticeship for the industry. Many companies have been consulted so far to ensure that what is developed is fit for purpose and it’s not too late to get involved and have your say – if you use or are thinking of using apprentices then you really need to find out more by contacting the Composites UK office.
To give you a brief taster, the apprenticeship will be a 3-4 year scheme and comprise four key elements:

• NVQ at level 2 and 3
• Technical certificate with mandatory and optional units to allow flexibility
• Maths at level 2
• Behaviours

The existing NVQs will be utilised, but with no pre-existing technical certificate this element has been developed from scratch. The steering group has been beavering away to draw up the detailed content for this along with the assessment plan for the overall scheme. Discussions with an awarding body are underway and several colleges interested in delivering the teaching elements are working on what needs to be done to ensure they’re ready for the first intake of students.

You can find out more about the apprenticeship, how it will work and meet some of those involved at the Composites UK annual conference on 11th May at the University of Manchester. The conference is focusing on the key themes of the UK composites strategy (to be launched at the conference) and looking in more detail at how UK industry can evolve to ensure continuation of a strong manufacturing base here as end-sector needs change – skills and training obviously playing a critical role in this. So make sure you stay ahead of the game and come along to network with your peers, find out the latest information and be a part of the positive future of the UK composites industry.

There’s lots more going on within the Association – keep an eye on our website and member bulletins for updates on activities, opportunities and critical industry information.

Andrew Dugmore, Chairman – Composites UK
www.compositesuk.co.uk