Delphi advances with apprenticeships training

A group of 12 apprentices employed by a leading automotive components and electronics supplier has begun a year’s full-time training at MidKent College’s Medway Campus.

The trainees, who are all completing an advanced apprenticeship in engineering, will spend a year studying at the college campus on Medway Road, before beginning work at Delphi Diesel Systems in Gillingham. If successful, they will gain a full level 2 NVQ, a level 2 technical certificate, and qualifications in Functional Skills and Wider Key Skills before continuing their training within their new employment. They will also complete a level 3 first year certificate, which is mandatory for achievement of a modern apprenticeship.

Delphi’s Apprentice Manager, Barrie Boakes, said: “In our experience, it’s better to put our apprentices into a training centre like the college where they can be basic-trained before they start work. Once these guys have completed a year here, they will spend the next three years expanding their training on-site. It’s great progression for them,” he added. 

Head of the college’s Business Development Unit, Jacqui Brown, said: “This is the first cohort of apprentices to be trained at the college as part of an exciting new venture between Delphi and MidKent College. All of the training is fully funded by the Skills Funding Agency, with a big drive for apprenticeships remaining a key priority for the new government.”