Colleges' Foundation Apprenticeship record
Hundreds of senior school pupils are getting hands-on work experience and a valuable head start on a career as city colleges offer their largest number of Foundation Apprenticeships to date.
Glasgow Colleges’ Regional Board is investing in its Foundation Apprenticeship programme to meet future skills needs and support the region's economy.
Around 700 places have been made available in the strengthened programme delivered by employers and City of Glasgow College, Glasgow Clyde College and Glasgow Kelvin College.
The move is part of an improved collaborative approach with 350 leading employers from across the Glasgow city region including Network Rail, Scottish Water, AXA and the Glasgow Science Centre.
Chosen as a subject in S5 or S6, Foundation Apprenticeships at SCQF Level 6 provide school pupils with both industry insight and experience of the world of work to gain a qualification at the same level as a Scottish Higher.
I’m planning to continue studying software development in the future, so it’s a really good step. I did this apprenticeship to see what college was like and I really enjoy it.
Erin Lennox
Foundation Apprentice
Martin Boyle, Executive Director of Glasgow Colleges’ Regional Board, said: “Learners and employers across the Glasgow college region are benefitting from our enhanced integrated approach and we’re pleased to welcome our apprentices as they start and continue their work-based learning journey.
“Regional Foundation Apprenticeships offer students a wider range of learning and career opportunities while meeting regional skills needs, supporting employers’ needs and strengthening our region’s economic future.”
Kelvinside Academy pupil Erin Lennox, 16, chose a Software Development Foundation Apprenticeship at City of Glasgow College – after first taking up coding aged 12.
Erin said: "There are two stages of learning in software development – the actual web design and then the programming. We get to go to a company for a year’s work experience which is fantastic and really exciting.
“I’m planning to continue studying software development in the future, so it’s a really good step. I did this apprenticeship to see what college was like and I really enjoy it.”
Francis Anameje, 17, attends St. Margaret Mary’s Secondary School in Castlemilk and is also studying a Foundation Apprenticeship in Software Development at City of Glasgow College this year.
Francis said: “I decided to choose this apprenticeship because it gives me hands-on experience plus a view of the world of work.
“I’m interested in cyber security, so software development is the way for me to push towards getting a cyber security degree at university. College has been amazing so far.”
Regional Foundation Apprenticeships offer students a wider range of learning and career opportunities while meeting regional skills needs, supporting employers’ needs and strengthening our region’s economic future.
Martin Boyle
Glasgow Colleges’ Regional Board
College life and work experience
Corie McSween, a sixth-year pupil at Bishopbriggs Academy, will spend three days a week at Glasgow Kelvin College this year, completing a one-year civil engineering Foundation Apprenticeship.
Corie said: “I’ve always been interested in engineering and when my Guidance Teacher at school spoke about the Foundation Apprenticeship, I was really keen to experience it and see what it would be like to be an engineer. I really like being on campus, getting to meet my fellow students and being involved in college life.”
Shawlands Academy pupil Keira Kabetu, 16, is in the second year of a Foundation Apprenticeship in social services for children and young people at Glasgow Clyde College.
Keira said: “I like working with children and when I’m older I want to have a job in child psychology. It’s been a really good experience so far and I’ve enjoyed learning about cognitive and emotional development. I want to go to Glasgow Clyde College next year and then to university to study child psychology.”
Delivered by learning providers in partnership with employers, knowledge gained through a Foundation Apprenticeship is supported through a series of practical activities including industry projects and work placements undertaken virtually and in person.
Pupils on Foundation Apprenticeships get valuable insights into the world of work and explore career opportunities in industries including financial services, healthcare, children and young people, business skills, engineering, IT and food and drink technologies.
The apprenticeships last one or two years and young people spend time out of school at college or with a local employer and complete the Foundation Apprenticeship alongside their other subjects.