North East comedian and TV personality Vic Reeves has enjoyed a ‘Big Day Out’ in the region experiencing at first hand the skills of apprentices as part of the Learning and Skills Council’s (LSC) Apprenticeship Week.
To celebrate this first ever national week dedicated to apprentices, the LSC North East brought former engineering apprentice Vic back to his roots to visit employers across the region who are benefiting from Apprenticeships and to experience the wide range of skills on offer.
One of his ports of call was Punch pub, the Travelling Man at West Boldon, where he gave head chef Brett Walker and hospitality and catering apprentice Dan Sullivan a helping hand to cook lunch.
The 18-year-old, of South Shields, is studying an NVQ Level 2 Food Preparation and Cooking and attends South Tyneside College one day a week
Last academic year Dan was a full-time student with the college, completing the NVQ Level 1 in both ‘Food Preparation and Cooking’ and also ‘Food and Drink Service’.
Chris Roberts Regional Director, LSC North East said: “People often associate Apprenticeships with more traditional industries like engineering but these days they cover a wide range of disciplines including hospitality and catering. They are an ideal way of providing employment and higher levels qualifications at the same time.
“Apprenticeship Week is designed to celebrate the success of Apprenticeships and demonstrate their benefit to businesses of all shapes and sizes. Our ambition is to encourage more employers to take on apprentices and more young people to consider an Apprenticeship as it makes good economic sense.”
Vic Reeves, a former engineering apprentice, said: “The Travelling Man and Dan are great ambassadors for Apprenticeships and show they can be a stepping stone to a fulfilling and creative career.
“Skills development is vital whatever career you choose whether it involves cultivating an acute sense of comic timing or learning the trade to be an engineer or top-class cook.”
Stuart Urwin, is proprietor of the Travelling Man with business partner Karen O’Brien. Stuart is a keen supporter of training development, having been an apprentice engineer with the National Coal Board. He also attended South Tyneside College.
He said: “I believe in putting something back into the local community and sharing our expertise by taking on apprentices is part and parcel of that.”
Dan, whose ambition is to run his own restaurant, said: “I like learning by doing so an Apprenticeship is the ideal option for me when it comes to learning the hospitality and culinary trade.”
In the South Tyneside local authority area in 2006/07 574 people completed an Apprenticeship - a rate of more than 60%. This compared to about 28% in 2003/04.
In the Sunderland council area in 2006/07 973 people completed an Apprenticeship – a rate of 64%, This compared to about 34% in 2003/04.
Throughout Apprenticeship Week, the LSC is urging apprentices and employers to enter the Apprenticeship Awards 2008 ahead of the deadline for entries on 29 February. The prestigious national awards showcase the achievements of apprentices and their employers. They reward and recognise the work of employers who are using Apprenticeships to build their future workforce and tackle skills shortages within their organisation and industry. They also celebrate the success of apprentices who have made a real difference to their own future and to the organisation they work for. To enter the Awards, or for more information, visit www.apprenticeships.org.uk/awards or call 0800 954 8896
Editor’s notes:
The LSC exists to make England better skilled and more competitive. We are responsible for planning and funding high-quality vocational education and training for everyone. We have a single goal: to improve the skills of England’s young people and adults to world-class standards. Our vision is that by 2010, young people and adults in England have the knowledge and skills matching the best in the world and are part of a truly competitive workforce. Established in 2001, we work nationally, regionally and locally from a network of offices across the country.
National Apprenticeship Week is designed to celebrate the success of Apprenticeships. The week will officially launched by the first national Apprenticeship Summit, being held at the Congress Centre in London. The Summit aims to stimulate debate around the benefits of Apprenticeships.
Vic Reeves was born in Leeds in 1959 but was raised in Darlington. He was a mechanical engineering apprentice with South West Durham Training, based in Newton Aycliffe, in the mid 70s.
He moved to London where he worked in a factory and was a shop assistant for a spell before beginning a part-time college art course and is today also well-known as an accomplished artist. He became part of the stand-up comedy circuit and launched Vic Reeves Big Night Out, later teaming up with solicitor Bob Mortimer.
The show was a huge success when it transferred to television and the duo, who have won BAFTA Awards for Originality and Best Live Performance plus British Comedy Awards, have also starred in programmes including Shooting Stars, The Smell of Reeves and Mortimer, and Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased). He is the main presenter of Sky One’s Brainiac and is to host a BBC Radio 2 panel game called Does the Team Think…
Media contact:
Ann Barnes, Regional Press Officer, 0191 492 6355, email ann.barnes@lsc.gov.uk
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