17th November 2017

On the 15th November 2017 Central YMCA Awards held a breakfast event at the Palace of Westminster to discuss further education and the recent apprenticeship reforms. Lynn Squire as Head of Sport, Fitness and Adventure at South Devon College and Gary Stephens, Programme Coordinator for South Devon Fitness Instructor Academy were invited to the vanguard event.

The purpose of the event was to connect politicians with the most innovative and successful sector experts, to facilitate discussion around the Government’s ambition to create more skills training, apprenticeships, improve social mobility and address skills gaps through the industrial strategy.

Attendees were a combination of the sectors highest performing employers, training providers, politicians and research specialists.

Stephen Metcalfe MP is one of the three new Parliamentary Apprenticeship Ambassadors, whose role is to champion the benefits and opportunities apprenticeships can bring. During the event, Lynn Squire gave an overview of the impact the new levy is having on apprenticeships in the fitness industry and school PE, and shared her concerns with MPs around the drop in skills development opportunities for those wishing to enter the sector or to up-skill in their existing job roles. Gary Stephens raised the importance of effective careers advice for people to support their training or further education choices.

Central YMCA Group Education & Skills Director, Lady Andree Deane-Barron noted the excellent opportunities to gain vocational training and development through the Adult Learner Loans and highlighted the good work centres like South Devon College and the Fitness Instructor Academy are doing to support people changing and developing their roles within the Health and Fitness sector.

 

For more information on the Fitness Instructor Academy at South Devon College click here

 

Alternatively, email [email protected] or call 08000 380 123.