Increase in Swindon College Apprenticeships at BMW

[Swindon College]

Swindon College currently has 9 Apprentices working for BMW’s Mini plant in Swindon, and that number is set to rise as BMW take on 11 more Apprentices in 2012. Apprentices train with BMW, learning a wide range of skills including electrical maintenance and engineering to business knowledge, and underpin their knowledge by attending Swindon College once a week.

James Taylor, a Swindon College Apprentice at BMW, said:

“I chose to do an Apprenticeship because I didn’t want to go to university. It’s a great route into work and I get paid whilst I’m learning which is brilliant. I work at the Mini Plant four days a week and attend College one day a week. The College has really good Engineering facilities for learning both practical skills and theory, and the staff are really supportive.”

Richard Bullock, Mini Plant’s Apprentice Advisor, said:

“We have had an affiliation with Swindon College for many years and they offer exactly what we need. They provide our apprentices with the vocational qualifications and the academic knowledge that they need to work with us. I did my own Apprenticeship at Swindon College in 1983 and it put me in really good stead for my career.”

Apprentices from Swindon College receive support from the College both with their studies and in the workplace, via work-based assessments and monitoring.

Nicky Hewington, Swindon College’s Training Coordinator for BMW Apprentices, said:

“It’s brilliant news that BMW are taking on so many more Apprentices. The partnership has existed for many years and it’s great to see that it’s still growing. We have had some real success stories from our Apprentices and they continue to enjoy every minute of their work.”

To find out more about Apprenticeships with Swindon College, call 01793 498208 to speak to an Apprenticeships Advisor or visit www.swindon-college.ac.uk.