West Lothian College has launched three new Pathway Apprenticeships to help develop skills in students that employers value.
The courses provide a recognised apprenticeship qualification to enable students to more easily progress into a job or higher level studies and offer an attendance allowance of at least £100 per week to students.
The programmes start in March 2021 with a choice between Childcare, Business or Software Engineering. This is a fast-track apprenticeship which lasts for six months and study is 50% college-based and 50% work-based.
Attendance is a minimum of 4 to 5 days each week and when you successfully complete your course will have a Foundation Apprenticeship Certificate in your chosen subject. Pathway Apprenticeships open doors to Employment, Modern Apprenticeships, Graduate Apprenticeships, and higher level study at college or university.
An attendance allowance of at least £100 per week is payable to all Pathway Apprentices. It is possible to combine this course with a Kickstart Placement and those also taking part in the UK Government Kickstart Scheme will instead receive a higher rate of the National Minimum Wage for the work based element of the programme
Our Pathway Apprenticeships are at SCQF Level 6 so all applicants must be prepared and capable of study at that level. Eligible applicants for Pathway Apprenticeships should be aged 16-18 at the start of the programme. Those combining a Pathway Apprenticeship with a Kickstart placement can be up to 24 years old. The courses include:
Pathway Apprenticeships
PATHWAY APPRENTICESHIP IN ICT SOFTWARE
This course is designed to get you from beginner to confident developer in 6 months and give you the edge when looking for employment. You will learn about different Programming languages and how to make them work for you and your employer.
PATHWAY APPRENTICESHIP IN BUSINESS SKILLS
You will work directly with employers through industry talks, visits and placements and receive expert guidance and support from our skilled teaching team. You will also develop core skills valued by employers: communication, problem solving, working with others, time management, etc.
PATHWAY APPRENTICESHIP IN ENGINEERING
You will develop skills and knowledge in a wide range of Engineering disciplines and on successful completion will gain a Scottish Vocational Qualification at Level 2 which prepares you for an apprenticeship programme at Level 3 and/or a future career in a wide range of engineering disciplines.