Work and study is a winning combination (From The Bolton News)

Work and study is a winning combination

9:24am Tuesday 2nd February 2010 in

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WHEN Jordan Redford left school, going to college full time to study for A-levels didn’t seem appealing.

Instead he wanted to mix work and study — without jeopardising his chances of going to university in the future.

He found the apprenticeship scheme at Bolton Community College offered him what he wanted.

Jordan, who lives in Heaton, is now on his first year of a carpentry and joinery apprenticeship.

Bolton Community College are using Jordan and fellow student Ben Green, who is now at university, to highlight the scheme during National Apprenticeship Week which got under way yesterday.

Carl Messenger, director of business development and training services at Bolton Community College, said: “Apprenticeships provide an alterative route into training and employment, and help widen participation.

“As Ben and Jordan have demonstrated, whether it’s moving on to higher education, or learning new skills pertinent to their chosen career, apprenticeships offer something for everyone.

“National Apprenticeship Week is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the success of our learners and highlight the qualification’s benefits.”

Jordan said the apprenticeship schemes were a good way of preparing people for work while they were still able to gain qualifications.

He said: “Given the current climate it is even more important to have experience of work, those are skills employers will be looking for, and I am still getting qualifications.

“Doing an apprenticeship is very different from school and I am lot more independent and get money.

“I am doing a two year course, but that could be extended and I have the option to go to university. But I am still considering my options and seeing what is available after my course.”

Ben, aged 20, is studying for a degree in business management at the University of Bolton which he started September last year.

The former Little Lever High School pupil left school in June 2005 and went to study his A-levels at college, but was still unsure of what he wanted to do and started working full-time in a supermarket before embarking on a business administration apprenticeship — a course he stumbled on while on the Connexions website.

He said: “I am on a three year degree course now and want to work in business. This is something I hadn’t considered before I started the apprenticeship.”

Ben said: “I feel that this scheme has benefited me more than my A-levels because when I complete my degree I will have the work experience which I would not have had I done my A-levels and gone straight to university.”

Ben is also working as the personal administrator to Mr Messenger. Mr Messenger said: “The college has 600 apprentices working across a range of vocational areas.

“It is one of the top performing providers of apprenticeships in the Greater Manchester Learning and Skills Council area, with a 77 per cent apprentice success rate, compared to a national average of 71 per cent.”