Bronglais General Hospital in Aberystwyth has won an award for its apprenticeship programme which has reduced staff sickness and improved performance over the past 16 years.
The programme has proved so successful that Hywel Dda University Health Board is considering adopting the Bronglais General Hospital’s apprenticeships model in its other hospitals.
Qualifications ranging from Foundation to Higher Apprenticeships are offered to kitchen and cleaning staff and porters. To date, 101 qualifications have been achieved.
The hospital collected the Large Employer Apprenticeship Engagement of the Year Award at the annual Apprenticeship, Employment and Skills Awards organised by Cambrian Training, one of Wales’ top work-based learning providers.
After collecting the award with his colleagues, the hospital’s site operations manager Martin Andrews said:
“We have done a lot of work on apprenticeships over the years and a large number of staff have been given the opportunity to go through the training programme, including myself. It has been exceptional.
“Cambrian Training’s training officers, Jo and Donna, have done a fantastic job delivering the training to suit the work patterns in our busy department. This award means a lot to us. It’s fantastic for our hospital department as well as the health board.”
Eighteen employers and learners who have excelled in apprenticeship, skills and employment training programmes delivered by Cambrian Training were shortlisted for the awards, which were presented at the International Pavilion on the Royal Welsh Showground, Llanelwedd.
Katy Godsell, Cambrian Training’s marketing manager, said:
“These awards celebrate the achievements of those who have exceeded expectations during their engagement and commitment to their apprenticeship training and skills programmes. They have shown a unique approach to apprenticeship training and development and demonstrated initiative and enterprise, innovation and creativity.”
Arwyn Watkins, OBE, Cambrian Training’s managing director, told the award ceremony that the company works in partnership with excellent employers to deliver apprenticeships, skills and employment training programmes for the Welsh Government across the whole of Wales.
“If you are thinking of taking on an apprentice for the first time, you will not regret it because he or she will add value to your business,” he said.
He revealed that the latest figures released by the Welsh Government revealed that Cambrian Training, which is 25 years old this year, is the top learning provider delivering Higher Apprenticeships and fourth in Wales for all apprenticeships.
The Apprenticeship Programme in Wales is funded by the Welsh Government with support from the European Social Fund.
