We support a range of apprenticeships from our base at Hanson Lane Enterprise Centre and as it’s National Apprenticeship week we wanted to share one of our many successes. Our small team work hard to support 55 learners each year in apprenticeships which range from Early years education to business and administration. Here is the story of Lewis from Park Ward.
Lewis was 17 years of age and had recently left Halifax High School when we began to support him with an apprenticeship opportunity. Living in Park Ward, he had grown up in the area and had always attended the local provision. Lewis was appointed as a Learning Mentor Support Worker actually within Halifax High. This appointment was an excellent demonstration of an employer recognising potential in a student and offering that young person an opportunity to progress. Lewis’s journey through school had been a challenging one. During years 8 and 9 he had been in danger of not realising his potential, not attending classes, not completing homework and exhibiting negative behaviour.
However, as a result of positive and engaging interventions in school, Lewis recognised the error of his ways in time to turn things around and by year 11 he was head boy and a positive role model for younger pupils who may not be engaging in their learning. Partnership working between Halifax Opportunities Trust and Halifax High provided an apprenticeship opportunity for Lewis and he achieved both level 2 and level 3 Diploma in Specialist Support for Teaching and Learning in Schools. Having achieved his GCSE’s in Maths and English at school, he worked on his Functional Skills ICT at level 2 and achieved. Lewis found his role exciting, rewarding and also at times challenging but was determined to go on to support children with behavioural, social and emotional needs. He is now working as a peripatetic learning mentor for children with challenging behaviour. Without doubt his current success is due to his own experiences in school and to the partnership of support he is currently being offered.
If you would like to find out more about our Apprenticeship support team please contact [email protected]