Apprentices from Chesterfield Football Club (CFC) swapped their football studs for steel-toe caps last week when they switched places with young mechanical engineers from NLT Training Services – a specialist trainer and provider of apprentices in welding, electrical engineering and mechanical engineering.

As part of The Big Apprentice Swap the CFC apprentices gained hands-on experience in welding, electrical engineering and mechanical engineering at NLT’s workshop. NLT’s apprentices spent the day as footballers, undergoing physical training both in the gym and on the pitch at the Proact stadium.

Chesterfield Football Club Apprentice, Conner White (16), said: “We’re normally training for most of the week so the apprentice swap has been very different from what we’re used to!  “It’s been great to be able to learn life skills – I’ve even learnt how to fix a plug for the first time.”

Peter Zehdee (17) from Canada, Chesterfield Football Club Apprentice, said: “I came over here purely for football but it’s great to be able to take part in something like this to develop our wider life skills and to give us an insight into another career.”

Casey Allen – NLT Case study, said: “Taking part in the Apprentice Swap has been great as it’s been really different from what I normally do which is fixing engines. It’s been really good to take part and learn something new too.”

Jordan Ragen (21), an Maintenance Apprentice at Chesterfield-based engineering company, Brettex, said: “I enjoy what I do on my apprenticeship, which involves engineering sewage equipment. I really like that I get to travel a lot as well as work hard. Taking part in the Apprentice Swap has been a real eye-opener into the world of football for me. I’ve always Press Release been a CFC supporter and I’m a keen football fan in general so I was thrilled to be able to come and participate.”

Andy Sheppard, Chief Executive of NLT Training Services said: “The Apprentice Swap has given a fascinating insight into engineering for the future stars of Chesterfield Football Club, whilst our engineering apprentices experienced a day in the life of a football star. It was a great way to promote apprenticeships in our region.”

The event at NLT Training Services was also attended by Chesterfield’s MP Toby Perkins, and The Mayor Cllr Alexis Diouf who were both eager to learn more about the organisation’s apprenticeship offering.

Alexis Diouf, Mayor of Chesterfield said: “I’m glad that we are recognising apprentices more as a region and as a nation now, rather than simply encouraging the university path.

“Apprenticeships are a great way for young people to gain employment and it’s really encouraging to see organisations like NLT really working with them to make partnerships with local businesses.”

“It’s particularly encouraging for me to see apprenticeships in Chesterfield, especially in manufacturing and engineering as that’s where the town’s heritage lies. NLT’s event has been great for both parties; the engineers and the footballers as it gives them an insight into
another role.”

Toby Perkins, Chesterfield MP said: “Apprenticeships are incredibly important to Chesterfield and to the country, they’re vital to ensure that the next generation of workers have a future.

“Initiatives like the Big Apprentice Swap held by NLT are great to give the town’s youngsters different eye-opening experiences to help them develop and discover what they want to pursue. It’s also great to see a wide range of equipment here at NLT, it shows that they’re really helping to give young people the best chance in gaining employment through the skills they learn here.”

Chesterfield businesses are encouraged to show their support for local students at the Area Final of the Young Enterprise Company of the Year competition.

Held on 24^th March at the Winding Wheel, the event is designed to celebrate the achievements of pupils from eight schools and colleges across North Derbyshire; all of whom have been running their own company with support from local business advisers and teachers.

Finalists will compete for a number of awards during the evening – from Best Trade Stand to Overall Winning Company, as well as the opportunity to represent North Derbyshire at the County Final – taking place at Matlock Town Hall on Monday 27^th April.

Given the task of presenting for four minutes on their company achievements and experiences, each team will be assessed by an independent panel of judges including representatives from three local businesses – Central Technology, NLT Training Services, and MSE Hiller.  The range of products and services designed and created by finalists will also be on display.

Sharing his enthusiasm for the event, Steve Taylor, Vice Chair of the Young Enterprise North Derbyshire Area Board said:-

“Our young people reveal so much potential and capability through the Young Enterprise Company Programme and so it’s fantastic that we are able to recognise this at the annual Area Final.

“We all have a responsibility to support young people in making the transition from school to the workplace and so I hope that lots of local businesses will join us at the Winding Wheel on 24th March.”

The Young Enterprise Area Final begins at 6.30pm on Tuesday 24^th March with a complimentary drinks reception and an opportunity to look around the Trade Stands and talk with the competitors about their experience.

To confirm your attendance please email Steve Taylor – Vice Chair of the Young Enterprise North Derbyshire Area Board at steve@startfp.co.uk.

20 apprentices from Chesterfield Football Club will hang up their boots and swap the pitch for the workshop when they trade places with 18 mechanical engineering apprentices during National Apprenticeship Week (9 – 13 March).

The Big Apprentice Swap, which takes place on Friday 13 March, has been organised by Chesterfield Champion NLT Training Services; a specialist training and provider of apprentices in welding, electrical engineering and mechanical engineering.

The Chesterfield FC apprentices will experience a day in NLT Training’s workshop gaining hands-on experience in welding, electrical engineering and mechanical engineering. NLT’s apprentices will spend the day as footballers undergoing physical training both in the gym and on the pitch at the Proact stadium.

14 of the NLT apprentices taking part in the event are currently undertaking Level 2 and 3 apprenticeships with local employers. Four outstanding learners from NLT’s pre-apprenticeship programme Evolve, have also been selected by tutors to take part in the training at Chesterfield Football Club.

Andy Sheppard, CEO of NLT Training Services said: “The Big Apprentice Swap highlights perfectly the diversity of apprenticeships available in Chesterfield today. There is literally something for everyone.

“National Apprenticeship Week 2015 gives us the opportunity to showcase the far reaching benefits of apprenticeships. For young people they provide them with a solid platform for their future career. 83% of young people who are in apprenticeships tell us that their ability to do their job and career prospects had improved.  For employers, apprenticeships, particularly in the manufacturing and engineering sector, are essential to filling the skills gap and securing the future growth of these companies.”

Spireites Chief Executive, Chris Turner said: “We are pleased to be able to support this initiative to help raise awareness of apprenticeships and the opportunities they offer. The club’s youngsters will benefit from the experience of spending a day in a different environment, learning new skills in the NLT Training workshop, while our coaches will enjoy putting the NLT apprentices through their paces!”

Since 2010, two million apprenticeships have been started with 90% of apprentices remaining in employment after successfully completing their apprenticeship.

National Apprenticeship Week (NAW) is co-ordinated by the National Apprenticeship Service and is designed to celebrate apprenticeships and the positive impact they have on individuals, businesses and the wider economy.

The Big Apprentice Swap is just one of number events being organised by NLT Training Services during the week-long celebrations for National Apprenticeship Week both locally and further afield. Other events include:

• Monday 9 March: A day in the Life of an Apprentices. Staff will be taught by NLT’s own Level 3 apprentices;
• Tuesday 10 March: NLT is holding a mini careers convention for Yr11s at Springwell School;
• Wednesday 11 March: NLT learners are attending the UK’s young scientists and engineers fair The Big Bang at Birmingham’s NEC;
• Friday 13 March:The Big Apprentice Swap
• Saturday 14 March: NLT Training Services Open Day from 12:00- 4:00pm. A chance for local companies and young people to view the facilities, and talk to the Business Development team about the Evolve Engineering programme and apprenticeships.

(Image features apprentices Casey Allen and Matt Jamson.)

A group of Chinese tour buyers checked out some of the Peak District and Derbyshire’s top tourism highlights during a whistle-stop tour lead by VisitBritain.

The 20-plus delegation enjoyed a bird’s eye view of breathtaking countryside from cable cars at The Heights of Abraham in Matlock Bath as well as an exclusive behind-the-scenes tours of Chatsworth and Haddon Hall.

The flying visit was part of a week-long fact-finding tour of key British destinations, including Yorkshire, Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham and London – and is just one of a number of VisitBritain hosted trips showcasing the country’s finest attractions, accommodation and activities until March 6.

Latest figures from VisitBritain reveal that China is Britain’s 30th most important market for the volume of visits, and 13th for the amount spent by visitors. In 2013, Chinese tourists made 196,000, or 0.6 per cent, of all overseas visits to Britain, and spent £492 million pounds.

“China is one of Britain’s fastest growing visitor markets, so we were delighted that VisitBritain chose to include the Peak District and Derbyshire in – and worked in partnership with us to arrange – one of its escorted itineraries after ExploreGB,” said Jo Dilley, Director of Visit Peak District & Derbyshire, the area’s official tourist board.

“More and more Chinese visitors are coming to the Peak District and Derbyshire – including students at surrounding universities in Manchester and Sheffield, who are often visited by friends and relatives – and Chatsworth has already signed up to VisitBritain’s Great China Welcome Charter, as one of the country’s leading Chinese-friendly tourism businesses.

“We hope that this brief visit has given Chinese tour buyers an informative and interesting insight into the wide range of attractions, accommodation and activities that are available in our unique and accessible area – and that they will encourage more Chinese visitors to come and discover more of its many delights in the future.”

Charlie Li, Deputy Manager China for VisitBritain, added: “The Peak District and Derbyshire has everything that Chinese tourists are looking for – including heritage, culture and countryside, plus interesting literature and film links – so this was an ideal opportunity to showcase its assets to our key tour buyers.

“I’m sure they will all be considering how to build the area into their British itineraries to bring more Chinese visitors here as the market develops and grows.”