Institute for Apprenticeships Delivery Director visits Walsall College during National Apprenticeship Week

The Delivery Director for Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education has visited Walsall College to see first-hand how new Apprenticeship standards and T Level qualifications are preparing local young people for their chosen industries.

Rob Nitsch toured two of the college’s campuses during National Apprenticeship Week. By speaking to apprentices, students, lecturers and the leadership team, he gained insights into how employer-led training, coupled with bespoke learning environments, and teaching approaches will support education reforms.

Rob described the experience as ‘being invaluable in developing the Institute’s understanding and capacity for continuous improvement. I really appreciated being able to discuss both Apprenticeships and T Levels, and hearing about both the challenges and the excellent work that the College is doing to address and highlight them. Thank you to all the staff who helped make the visit so worthwhile’.

Jatinder Sharma OBE, Principal and CEO at Walsall College said: “We were pleased to showcase to Rob how the employer-led occupational mapping of Apprenticeships and technical qualifications aligns with Walsall College’s course provision. Prime examples of this are our apprentices’ progress on the Electrical Installation Standard introduced at the college in January 2020 as well as the skills development of first and second year students on our Digital T Level since September 2020.

“Replicating best practice and introducing other pioneering delivery models across our curriculum is not without its challenges. However, with the guidance and commitment of employer partners and sector bodies, we know we are well-placed to make a vital contribution to the government’s levelling up agenda.”

Walsall College currently trains 2,000 apprentices across 39 Apprenticeship Standards.

In September 2022, the college will launch nine T Levels, to supplement the five qualifications launched in 2020 and 2021.