New Apprentice Training Centre For The Midlands Date: Thursday, July 30, 2009 Source: Skills for Security

Skills for Security, the sector skills body, has for many years operated a fully funded apprenticeship programme for systems companies who want to employ apprentices, but don’t want the administrative burden of running a scheme. The Apprenticeship programme consists of both workplace learning with the employer and technical instruction, which is usually delivered at a college of further education. Finding colleges that have the expertise and equipment necessary to train the security and fire systems engineers of the future, and in the right location for employers, can be challenging, and so Skills for Security has decided to invest in its own training centre for the West Midlands area. The new centre is located at St. Peters Urban Village on the borders of Bordesley Green and Saltley. The location at St Peters is ideal, with good public transport links, car parking and a range of other facilities which should appeal to apprentices. St.Peters itself is a charitable trust formed in 1985 for the purpose of providing educational facilities and its aims are very much in keeping with Skills for Security’s not for profit remit. The new centre will begin operating in the autumn, catering for both Level 2 and Level 3 apprentices on day release programmes. The centre is currently being fitted out with the necessary teaching aids and technical equipment and the programmes will be delivered by qualified and experienced tutors, who have been working with the industry and Skills for Security for a number of years David Edge, Operations Director at Skills for Security, commented “The apprenticeship system offers employers an excellent opportunity to build a skilled workforce at very little cost. We believe that too few systems companies make use of the training opportunities available for their young people.  One reason may be an insufficient number of colleges in the right locations able to offer the right facilities; we have invested in the Skills for Security apprentice training centre to help alleviate this problem. If there is sufficient demand from employers we are prepared to look at extending this opportunity to other areas of the country”. Further details of the new training centre will be available shortly. Employers wishing to know more meanwhile should contact Customer Services at Skills for Security on 08450 750111 or email Here Skills for Security Courtesy of SecurityOracle.com - The Secury Industry's Portal