SEND Supported Apprenticeships & The AAC Awards
SEND Supported Apprenticeships & The AAC Awards
We are pleased to announce that Devon County Council has been shortlisted as National Finalist for the Send Apprenticeship Champion Award at the Annual Apprenticeship Conference Apprenticeship Awards 2021!
The awards ceremony will take place virtually on Thursday the 8th July. We would like to thank the managers, teams, and the apprentices themselves for their hard work; it's great see this fantastic scheme is being nationally recognised.
The awards were
established in 2017 as a joint project by FE Week and the Association of
Employment and Learning Providers (AELP).
What are Supported
Apprenticeships?
Supported Apprenticeships are designed for
individuals who have a recognised learning difficulty and /or disability and
have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).
Our Supported Apprentices started their journey as
a Supported Intern for one year at Devon County Council and upon successful
completion, they progressed onto a Supported Apprenticeship with Petroc College
and are currently completing a Level 2 Business and Administration
Apprenticeship.
Normally, the transition
would be seamless with an interview (with reasonable adjustments) to ensure the
intern knows what is expected of them and what they need to do. The Job Coach
and/or Mentor can be present at this interview. In addition, they will be
required to achieve from entry level 3 up to level 2 Functional Skills in math
and English (unless exempt) as part of the Apprenticeship.
How does it feel to have a supported apprentice in
your team?
Gill Loman, SEND Resources
Manager, shares her experience of having a Supported Apprentice in her
team.
"The SEN 0-25 Team
greatly appreciate how the SEND Apprenticeship Programme has provided an
opportunity and support to young people with additional needs. Our Apprentice’s
journey with us has been a learning process for us all.
He has progressed
significantly over the last couple of years, so much so that we now rely on his
skills as part of the Resource and Data team. He is always willing to help and
is dedicated in doing his job to the best of his ability. He enjoys the work
and thrives on his achievements.
It has also made us more
aware as a team of supporting colleagues who may have additional needs in
training, mentoring, hearing their voice and designing tasks and this has
enriched our approach to working in DCC."
How does supporting a SEND
apprentice work?
Keith Beeks,
Accounts Payable Team Manager, explains his first-hand experience of
how working with a Supported Apprentice works.
"Being part of the
SEND Apprenticeship Programme has been extremely rewarding, I've been able to
see the confidence of a young person grow, whilst simultaneously helping build
their workplace skills during the two years they're with us.
Each Apprentice has a
support worker who plays a vital role in helping you identify how the
Apprentice learns best, what their needs are and how you can meet them. They
take time to understand the work you are asking the Apprentice to cover, then
support them in completing their tasks. This is really important when you are
extremely busy, as you know the Apprentice will always have someone to turn to
for help if you are unavailable.
I would highly recommend
the SEND Apprenticeship Programme, as it provides an opportunity for young
people to gain employment experience and real-life skills. This not only helps
them now but also long after they have completed the programme."
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