The College of West Anglia senior management team celebrate National Apprenticeship Week 2024

The College of West Anglia senior management team worked alongside youngsters in a series of events that celebrated National Apprenticeship Week.

National Apprenticeship Week (NAW) takes place from February 5-11, and this was the 17th annual celebration.

The week brings together businesses and apprentices across the country to shine a light on the positive impact that apprenticeships make on individuals, businesses, and the wider economy.

The theme for NAW 2024 was ‘Skills for Life’ – to celebrate how apprenticeships can help individuals to develop the skills and knowledge required for a rewarding career, and employers to develop a workforce with future-ready skills.

David Pomfret, principal and chief executive of CWA, visited and worked with four apprentices at Recipharm, a market leader in the design, development, and manufacture of drug delivery devices.

The Lynn site provides development and manufacturing services from pilot to commercial scale.

Tom Kardas, Aggie Zajac and Tom Witt are currently studying Engineering Manufacturing Technician Level 4 with the business.

Daniel Grange is currently completing the Apprenticeship Standard for Engineering Technician/Machinist.

Aggie and Tom gave David a tour around the MDI manufacturing unit within Recipharm in full PPE. David helped with the hand assembly of some medical devices.

Daniel provided David with a tour of the tool room and showed him some of the specialist equipment that is used in his job role.

Finally, Tom welcomed David into the healthcare manufacturing area of the business and explained his role, talking though the full manufacturing process which he is a part of.

Rob Petto, assistant principal of funding and performance at CWA, went to Greenyard Frozen in Lynn to visit Jana Cerniseva, who is currently completing an Apprenticeship Standard Customer Service Level 2.

Jana started her apprenticeship in September 2023 after previously studying politics at university, but wanted a new challenge in an industry she could see herself working within in the long term.

Rob worked with Jana testing recipes in the development kitchen.

She explained that the development kitchen is where recipes are created and then perfected for Greenyard's clients before these are scaled and manufactured.

Jana Cerniseva said: “I am really enjoying my apprenticeship at Greenyard Frozen.

“It has been interesting to work in so many areas of the business, from the development of kitchen training new recipes to quality assurance of products which are sold in supermarkets.

“I look forward to continuing to learn during my apprenticeship.”

Rob Petto said: “I really enjoyed spending the afternoon learning just a snippet of what goes into frozen food product development with Jana, speaking to her about the path that led her to her apprenticeship and how much she was enjoying it compared to the degree she previously studied.

“It was also great to hear from Gavin, her manager, how much Jana is already valued in the team and his ambitions for her future.

“It’s a great example of apprenticeships at their best.”

Paul O’Shea, assistant principal of student services at CWA, visited Greg Aviss at Downham Preparatory School and Montessori Nursery. He is completing a Teaching Assistant Level 3 apprenticeship.

The school is a non-selective independent preparatory school for girls and boys aged from three months to 13 years.

Greg assisted and shadowed Ms Smith in the reception class.

Paul worked with Greg in supporting the children with their work for the afternoon.

They first had literacy and handwriting practice, followed by playtime outside.

Greg led story time on the mat, before Paul sat with two of the children and played a game of snakes and ladders before the children’s home time.

Paul O’Shea said: “I thoroughly enjoyed my afternoon at Downham Preparatory School and Montessori ‘helping’ our apprentice Greg Aviss in the Reception class.

“I was really impressed with his skills and confidence in working with the children and supporting the class teacher and it was great to hear the head teacher speak so positively about his development as an apprentice teaching assistant in such a short time.

“I am sure he is destined for a great career in education.”