Apprentices invited to celebrate at graduation ceremony

Completing an apprenticeship is a great achievement – and successful apprentices across Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire are being invited to celebrate at a special event in July.

Apprentices will have the opportunity to dress in an academic gown and cap, receive a certificate and holder, and celebrate with their families, friends and employers at a special Apprenticeship Graduation Ceremony at Stafford’s County Showground on July 13 at 2pm.

Last year’s graduation ceremony was the first to be held in the county and was attended by 155 apprentices, who had achieved qualifications ranging from Level 3 to Level 6, equivalent to degree standard. And organisers are hoping for an even bigger turn-out this year, as more and more people locally are undertaking apprenticeships to enhance their skills and employability.

Special guests making the presentations at this July’s event include Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service’s chief officer Becci Bryant, the first female chief fire officer to have risen through the ranks, and Kevin Davis, chairman of the Black Country and Staffordshire Apprenticeship Ladder campaigns.

David Frost CBE, chairman of the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Local Enterprise Partnership said: “Apprenticeships are a key focus of our work to bring growth and prosperity to our region and are giving many of our businesses the opportunity to grow their own talented and skilled workforce.

“It is only right to celebrate the hard work and achievements of our apprentices and the contribution they are making to local businesses and communities with this special event.

“The graduation ceremony is also a great showcase to raise the profile of apprenticeships and the career paths that they can open up for people in all walks of life.”

More specialised and highly-skilled apprenticeships are being offered each year, giving individuals the chance to continue their professional development and fully realise their potential up to Higher Apprenticeships. These are available at a range of levels, from the equivalent of a foundation degree to a bachelor’s degree and even master’s degree level in some sectors.

This year’s graduation is open to Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire apprentices who have successfully completed a level of their training since June 2015.

Apprentices can register for the ceremony by visiting www.GraduationCeremony.co.uk and selecting Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Apprenticeship Graduation on the drop-down menu to register their details, order their graduation gown and book tickets for guests to attend.

For further information please email apprenticeship.graduation@staffordshire.gov.uk or send a message to Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Graduation Ceremony Facebook page.