School leavers who are picking up their GCSE results today and just don’t know what to do next, can take advantage of a whole range of apprenticeships at Milton Keynes College. 

Apprenticeships mean your time is split between studying in the classroom and working for an employer in a real job, so that you can earn as you learn. 

Director for Apprenticeships and Partnerships at Milton Keynes College Group, Anna Clarke, says, “Apprenticeships are a brilliant way to start a career, and people who take them usually find themselves in a job once they’ve completed the course.  In fact, 89% of Milton Keynes College apprentices either stay in the job they’ve been working in, or even end up getting promoted.” 

Anna says that at this time of year, a lot of parents in particular worry that with so many options available to young people, it’s hard to know what to do for the best.  Some end up staying on at their school’s sixth form but then find that it’s not for them 

“Everyone’s different,” Anna says, “some people are well suited to staying at school, but a lot of others need to make a change.  People learn in different ways, and the great thing about an apprenticeship is it’s learning by doing.  If parents feel they’ve been fighting an uphill battle keeping their children focused in full-time education and they’re dreading another two years of more of the same, they should come to talk to us and we can go through all the options, including apprenticeships.”  

Students can choose from a huge array of courses, including engineering, construction, finance, catering and hospitality, business, motor vehicle, digital and a whole lot more. 

Anna says, “In many areas, we’ve actually got employers queueing up, looking for the right people to start their working lives with them.  Milton Keynes is growing fast and it’s our job at the College to provide a pipeline of talent to feed those expanding businesses.  The opportunities are out there, and we’re the ones who know where to look. 

“We would invite anyone who’s interested in an apprenticeship to come along to one of our Advisory Days that are happening over the next two weeks. They’re a great chance to find out more about what apprenticeships can offer and to see if there’s an apprenticeship that could be right for you.” 

To find out more, students can come along to the College’s advisory days from 22nd August until Tuesday 3rd September. For details and to book an appointment, visit https://mkcollege.ac.uk/events/advisory-days/