Derwent Training Association are delivering the new Higher Apprenticeship Standard for Engineering Manufacturing Technicians from September 2020. 

To achieve this Level 4 Apprenticeship, an apprentice must pass a Higher National Certificate, and hold a Level 2 / GCSE qualification in Maths and English, before successfully completing an observation and professional discussion with an external assessor. 

As we remain in a COVID-19 national and global pandemic, and as such Derwent Training's risk assessment, and all health and safety measures remain firmly in place. As both an employer and an educational establishment, we have a duty of care and responsibility for all individuals entering the building. This is not something we take lightly and we will continue to take and enforce all necessary actions to keep us all as safe as possible until a vaccine is found for this disease that kills. 

Very shortly we will be introducing a non-contact temperature scan as people enter the building for the first time during the day. Many businesses have already moved to this phase of upgrading COVID-Secure measures within the workplace. It will become a crucial measure as individuals begin to pick up and display a myriad of winter bugs that could be indistinguishable from COVID-19 initially.

Two Engineering Trainers from Derwent Training Association have been nominated for a York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Star Award due to the work they have undertaken in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Bob Hardie and Stuart Pitts were nominated by Electrical Services Manager at Scarborough Hospital, Nigel Watkins. The Star Awards seek to recognise outstanding individuals or teams who have innovated, impressed and made a real difference to how the NHS Trust provides care for their patients.

Following on from the recent Government announcement, the earliest that Derwent Training will start face to face delivery with learners will be week commencing Monday 15th June with reduced class sizes so that social distancing can be adhered to throughout the centre. Please do not come in on your normal attendance day unless you have been notified, we will continue with remote learning with all those not in for face to face training. 

The training centre will look very different with a one way system, hand sanitising stations and changed working practices so that we can adhere to social distancing, these have been put in place to keep all learners and staff safe. Joining instructions will be sent out to learners and employers on what they have to adhere to when in the training centre. 

Apprentices in the North Yorkshire area have been playing a key role in the COVID-19 pandemic, and they will be crucial to the productivity of the UK and the country's recovery. Employers have been adapting their production to manufacture PPE visors, as well as ventilator components during the crisis. 

Claire Gavaghan, Chief Executive Officer said 'we moved to remote delivery in mid-March, before the Government lockdown, to keep learners and staff safe. We went from a standing start learning and adapting as we went. It was not easy but it was essential. We knew we could not let apprentices be forgotten in the midst of a national crisis. They are crucial to the productivity of the UK and the country's recovery. Not one apprentice has been placed on a break in learning, all of them are still in-learning and are making progress towards achievement. Employers and apprentices are happy with the continued training.'  

Derwent Training are continuing to make progress with apprentices as we employ new ways of working remotely. 

The Senior Leadership Team meet online at 10:00am each day and are now implementing the following steps in line with Government advice:

We are doing our part to reduce the spread of Coronavirus and working collectively in the interests of us all.

Derwent Training has already taken a number of steps within the organisation to reduce the likelihood of spreading the virus. This has included addressing the lapses in hand washing routines and increasing the disinfection of surfaces.