15 September 2016
Another 64 people graduate from the Trackers apprentice programme this week, bringing the total who have successfully completed their training to 182 so far.
The apprentices will celebrate at a special ceremony on Thursday 15 September at Hautlieu School. The successful candidates include carpenters, hairdressers, care assistants, electricians and dental nurses. 46 of the graduates have gained Level 2, qualifications (equivalent to GCSEs) and 17 have Level 3 (equivalent to A-levels).
Employers from a wide range of businesses will join their apprentices at the celebration, which also serves as an official welcome for the 101 people who have just joined the programme this term.
Education Minister Deputy Rod Bryans said “Trackers is a continuing success story for Jersey and its businesses. It puts the focus firmly on quality and on continuing education, which is a powerful way of improving employees’ skills in a way that directly helps them progress and enriches the companies they work for. Congratulations to all the apprentices and the mentors who have guided them.”
Employer Martin Burns of Brady & Gallagher electricians said “Trackers provides great support to us and our apprentices and as a result of this, we have consistently put apprentices through the programme. We feel confident that the qualified tradesmen who graduate will contribute to the island’s economy for years to come.”
Trackers so far:
- this year Trackers launched a new Digital Apprenticeship which incorporates industry-specific qualifications, and a Veterinary Apprenticeship that uses a blended learning format.
- 274 people are currently enrolled
- 101 of those started this year
- there are currently 17 different apprenticeships
- Trackers works with over 200 different employers.
The Trackers model is unique to Jersey. The success rate is 97%, which is well ahead of other apprenticeship schemes across the UK and abroad. Other jurisdictions including Ireland, Scotland, Wales and numerous EU countries have enquired about the programme. One of the major strengths is the mentor system, which supports both the employee and the employer throughout the whole apprenticeship.
Jasmine Harrison, a trainee veterinary nurse, has just joined and said “So far my experience with the Trackers scheme has been a positive one. I have been allocated a mentor to help provide support throughout my training. The apprenticeship itself is going to be a huge and exciting challenge and having the extra guidance to help me set deadlines, plan revision and generally manage my workloads will be invaluable.”
Nélson Teixeira, a Consultant at TCB Consulting Ltd, said “Being a part of the Trackers program has been both exciting and rewarding experience. This experience has allowed me in my first step towards MCSA SQL Server qualification which to be done individually is quite a daunting task whilst attending to all the requirements of a small business and family life. Since my first exam I’ve been able to apply the knowledge gained in projects at TCB and database practices which is a positive for the company and our clients. I thank the mentors at Trackers have been very supportive and helpful.”
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