Pathway to employment at Inverness College UHI

Two former Inverness College UHI students have gone on to secure a Modern Apprenticeship in Engineering – proving the value of the introductory short courses provided by the College with the help of Skills Development Scotland.

The Targeted Pathways to Apprenticeship (TPA) courses currently being run at Inverness College UHI provide young people between the age of 16 and 19 years of age with the opportunity to learn a variety of subjects including engineering, motor vehicle maintenance, business administration, hospitality and renewables (electrical). Courses run from 13 to 16 weeks and are funded by SDS. SDS previously funded a pre-apprenticeship pilot programme in Engineering which had the same aims and objectives as the TPA.

The multi-skill formats prepare young people for a career in their preferred subject area by teaching valuable employability skills which are relevant to an MA or further education course. Targeted Pathways to Apprenticeship courses, have proved successful with many students gaining employment or an MA in their respective industries.

Two students, who started at Inverness College UHI on the one-year engineering pre-apprenticeship programme, went on to secure an MA in Engineering through support from local company Isleburn, who provide the full spectrum of engineering disciplines from Mechanical and Electrical through to Fabrication.

Darryl Ferguson (21) from Portmahomack, Rosshire and Sam Whitelegge (22) originally from Manchester but now living in Culloden, Inverness, applied for the pre-apprenticeship Engineering course back in 2007. Having both gained experience on welding courses in the past, the progression was straight-forward and they were accepted to the college course.

Sam Whitelegge

Sam Whitelegge, who is now also supporting a young family, commented: “Having had experience in welding from a previous college course, the engineering pre-apprenticeship programme at Inverness College UHI really appealed to me. We learned skills that are relevant in the workplace including health and safety, welding and reading drawings, achieving the MA in Engineering has helped me secure a full-time position as a Welder and Fabricator at Isleburn.

Darryl Ferguson said: “I first came to Inverness College UHI in 2006 and enrolled on the SVQ Level 2 Welding course. The course sparked my interest in Welding and I applied for the pre-apprenticeship course to increase my chances of obtaining an MA.

“After I finished the Engineering pre-apprenticeship I applied to Isleburn for their Modern Apprenticeship programme where, thanks to the skills and experience I gained on my course and work placement, I was successful in securing a place on the MA at Isleburn and course at Inverness College UHI. I am now working full-time as a Welder and Fabricator and I hope in the future it may lead to becoming a Welding Inspector.”

Neil MacArthur, Chief Operating Officer at Isleburn stated: “At Isleburn we firmly believe in training our people for the future and currently we have trainees in all disciplines throughout the business. The Modern Apprenticeship programme has demonstrated that the quality of young people we train achieve a very high standard, which enables Isleburn to continue to provide a quality product in the many sectors it operates in.”

Lorraine Andrews, Senior Contracts Co-ordinator for Apprentices at Inverness College UHI added: “By undertaking a Targeted Pathways to Apprenticeship course young people are gaining relevant skills and knowledge that will aid their progression into employment or Further Education.”  

Inverness College UHI continues to work in partnership with Skills Development Scotland (SDS) to offer a series of introductory short courses aimed at encouraging young people in the region to learn new skills in the hope of gaining a Modern Apprenticeship (MA) or a place on a full-time course.

For further information on the Targeted Pathways to Apprenticeships and Modern Apprenticeship programmes, please call Lorraine Andrews on 01463 273404 or visit www.inverness.uhi.ac.uk.