South Scotland MSP Brian Whittle has been highlighting the opportunities an apprenticeship can bring during a visit to Microtech Group in Kilmarnock.
As part of the annual Scottish Apprenticeship Week, Brian visited the IT services company and met with their apprentices, Jack, Emma and Adam.
The theme of this year’s Scottish Apprenticeship Week, organised by Skills Development Scotland was ‘Skills for the Future’ so digital technology firm Microtech was an ideal choice.
During the visit Brian chatted to the apprentices about their reasons for choosing an apprenticeship as the first step on their career path.
Brian Whittle MSP said:
“It was a pleasure to visit Microtech, meet Emma, Jack and Adam, and learn about their experiences as apprentices. There are many different reasons people might choose to take up an apprenticeship, from being able to earn money while you learn, to gaining real world experience of the workplace. All three of the apprentices I spoke to had taken different paths to get to where they are now, but they all agreed an apprenticeship was the right decision.
We’re still discovering new ways that information technology can improve our lives, but to make the most of it, we need more people with the skills to work in that industry. We need to encourage more women to consider careers in I.T. so it was great to have a chat with Emma about why she chose this career path and what could be done to help others make the same decision.”
Skills Development Scotland’s Director of National Training Programmes, Katie Hutton said:
“Scottish Apprenticeships are increasingly becoming a vital means for industry to shape its workforce.
“More and more individuals are recognising the benefits of work-based learning, with opportunities to gain skills in careers for the future.
“Scottish Apprenticeship Week shines a light on the major contribution apprenticeships make across all business sectors and the difference they make to the lives of thousands of people across the country.”
