Apprentices Have Got a Ticket to Wrap

Sign Making Apprentices at Walsall College have been showcasing their talent during national Apprenticeship Week 7-11th February, by wrapping a Smart Car in the atrium of Wisemore Campus with rare Beatles photos from the 1960s.

The special black and white photos were taken by the late Derek Cooper, a magazine photographer in the music industry and have remained virtually unseen over the years. The photos have been released to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Beatles’ first performance at The Cavern in Liverpool.

Throughout the week, the apprentices have been utilising the skills they have developed in the workplace and in the College’s state of the art Sign Making Academy, to wrap the vehicle to professional industry standards.

Inchscape (Mercedes) supplied a new generation Smart Fortwo for the week and the exclusive photos were printed onto vinyl using the latest equipment in the sign making industry.

Apprenticeship Week, which is organised by the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS), is designed to highlight the talents and skills of apprentices and celebrate the value of Apprenticeships. Over the years Walsall College has worked with hundreds of companies across the region, who have benefited from training an Apprentice. Apprenticeships give students hands on experience in their industry of choice, giving them the opportunity to gain the necessary skills for success and earn while they learn.

Tony Prior, Business Account Manager at Walsall College said: “Walsall College is proud to be a part of national Apprenticeship Week and the students are all delighted to have the opportunity to take part in such an exciting project, whilst showcasing their skills and talents to their fellow students. As the leading UK training centre for vehicle wrapping, Walsall College’s Sign Making Academy gives our apprentices a huge advantage in acquiring the skills other students could only dream of!”

The Beatles vehicle wrapping event forms just part of a wide range of activities that Walsall College Apprentices organised to celebrate Apprenticeship Week. This included NiTP IT Apprentices taking part in a Krypton Factor themed competition, involving students showing how quickly and correctly they can put together a PC, and Sport Apprentices providing fitness assessments to students, including tests for weight, blood pressure, peak flow, sit and reach, and hand grip strength.