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Apprenticeships: Regional College bosses go back to the classroom
BOSSES at Peterborough Regional College swapped their suits for overalls to step into the shoes of apprentices for a day.
BOSSES at Peterborough Regional College swapped their suits for overalls to step into the shoes of apprentices for a day.Taking their lead from hit TV show The Apprentice, principal Don Lawson and other college directors stepped out of their comfort zones and went back to the classroom to celebrate the National Apprenticeship Campaign.
Although they were not faced with Sir Alan Sugar barking "You're fired" at them, they still had to perform in front of some harsh critics - the college students.
Mr Lawson swapped his keyboard for kids' toys and nappies, joining the childcare apprentices in the college nursery, while Richard Hilliard, senior director of curriculum, hoped to prove he was a cut above his colleagues by having a go at hairdressing.
However, having seen his efforts, hairdressing students advised him not to make the career move "perm"-anent.
Angela Joyce, deputy principal, took a break from administration to try her hand at construction work - pipe bending, soldering and bricklaying.
She said: "I was totally out of my comfort zone as putting on a pair of overalls is not something I normally do.
"Our college strength is in our vocational training and to actually be able to tell prospective students what it is like to experience is incredibly useful.
"It was really hard and, for instance, plumbing is something I never really think about until I actually had a go. The amount of satisfaction I got when my pipe was tested and it did not flood the classroom just shows that vocational training can be incredibly rewarding.
"There is a real need for apprentices."
The college's Apprenticeship Week begins today and runs until Friday, with a variety of events including quizzes and competitions to raise awareness of apprenticeship schemes and different trades.
The deputy principal added: "I urge people to come along and see what is on offer and have a try themselves."
To find out more, visit www.peterborough.ac.uk.
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Friday 10 February 2012
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