Apprenticeship provides ‘amazing opportunity’

The Higher Apprenticeship in Project Management is an auspicious scheme providing young talent with an ‘amazing opportunity’ to become the next generation of project professionals.

Creating new routes into the project management profession is vital to ensure the continuous development of future practitioners. Those taking part in the scheme, created by the Association for Project Management (APM) in conjunction with Skills CFA, can develop their knowledge and competence while on an earn-as-you-learn placement with an employer that lasts approximately two years.

‘Flourish within the profession’

The very first learners to start the Apprenticeship have been impressed with the quality of the scheme. Astenne Minto, an Apprentice with Lewisham Council, feels that the training she will receive from QA Apprenticeships will help her to ‘flourish’ into a competent project professional.

Astenne said: “The training course not only met my expectations, it exceeded them. I believe that the Higher Apprenticeship in Project Management will provide me with the relevant knowledge and information necessary to become a competent project manager.

“I believe that due to the excellence of the scheme and the tutor’s outstanding teaching abilities I shall become a well educated project manager in the foreseeable future and will be able to flourish within the profession.” Astenne finished by saying: “Thank you for the amazing opportunity.”

Astenne spoke at an event where the first batch of young talent, who have started Apprenticeships with CH2MHill, EC Harris, Provident Financial and British Airways, met with those responsible for investing in their future.

The event held on Monday at the offices of QA Apprenticeships, who is delivering the training for these employers, gave the budding project managers a chance to speak with APM’s chief executive Andrew Bragg and head of professional standards and knowledge Liz Wilson along with Tim Keeling, standards & qualifications manager at Skills CFA.

‘Career of first choice’

Andrew Bragg (pictured along with the Apprentices) was encouraged to see how eager the Apprentices were to start a career in project management. He said: “Creating a new route into the profession is one more way of raising the bar of project management professionalism. Making project management a career of first choice is more important than ever.

“It is pleasing to see how enthusiastic and capable these young people are. By developing not only their knowledge but experience too, this initiative will help organisations to build a skilled and competent project management workforce for the future.”

If your organisation is interested in learning more about employing Apprentices please contact APM. Alternatively, for more information about the scheme please visit the Higher Apprenticeship in Project Management webpage.