Discovering Talent through Apprenticeships – Girls Allowed Initiative Peter Cook - Director, Employability & Skills Unit and Adult Community Learning, Essex County Council

Barry Beaton – Senior Technician – Applied Scintillation Technologies

Paige Tennison – Apprentice – Applied Scintillation Technologies

Background• Supporting economic growth – helping businesses to generate wealth, jobs and opportunity.

• Addressing the skills shortages in the STEM industries.

• Supporting the Raising of the Participation Age (RPA) - providing a world-class education and skills offer in Essex.

• Work with local schools, training providers and businesses to support Apprenticeship up-take in the STEM industries.

• Essex Apprentice Programme – Wage subsidy of up to £2,500.

• Since 2009 the Essex Apprentice Programme has supported over 2000 apprentices.

• Partnership between Essex County Council and four Essex based training providers (Chelmsford College, Colchester Institute, Harlow College and Prospects Training Solutions in Basildon).

• The Girls Allowed website, launched in 2011 gives females aged 14 – 24 thinking about what to do after their GCSEs or A levels, a chance to find out about the benefits and future career paths an Engineering apprenticeship could lead.

• The website offers real stories of females who have either completed or currently undertaking an Apprenticeship; showcasing their interests, achievements and passion for the sector. Encouraging other women that they can thrive and succeed in what is often perceived as a male only sector.

• The website provides details of college open days and opportunities, taster sessions and events.

• The website includes relevant and topical news articles such as ‘engineering the paralympics’ as well as types of apprenticeships and career pathways.

• The website is supported with an SEO campaign, social media accounts and advertising, in addition to advertisments in relevant magazines/prospectuses. Banners, posters and flyers are used at events.

• 2013 and beyond – Campaign being widened to STEM occupations

Applied Scintillation Technologies (AST)

• Intra-oral and panoramic imaging devices

• Mail, cargo and baggage inspection

• Airborne and ground based neutron radiation detection

• Radiography

• Alpha and beta detection

• UV and white light measurement and calibration

• Real-time imaging cameras for infrared applications

A leading independent supplier of scintillation solutions providing advanced imaging and detection systems to global markets including medical, dental, non-destructive testing and security using the latest phosphor and scintillation technologies.

Barry Beaton

• Joined Applied Scintillation Technologies in January 2009 as a Manufacturing Technician.

• Has worked on a number of different products, thus giving him a broad range of product & process knowledge.

• As a senior technician Barry often finds himself at the front of any new starter’s training pack.

• Barry is part of the AST Steering group looking after apprentices & student work placement.

Paige Tennison Paige started the ESF, ECC funded Engineering and Manufacturing Apprenticeship one week after leaving school.

She knew she would probably be the only girl but that didn’t stop her

“If you want to do it that much then you will! My apprenticeship has been really enjoyable, it has given me the chance to meet lots of new people and my confidence has really grown…

I did really well on my level 2 programme and achieved a distinction.”

Paige Tennison

“I am determined to get more girls into engineering and I tell them about the different jobs you can do, it’s not just working with lathes and milling machines you can consider other areas as well, such as CAD. The money is really good and I am earning 3 times as much as my friends.”

Any questions?