James

Interesting topic and I agree with most comments further back!

In my opinion unfortunately far from FFP! I have trained many school leaver apprentices over the years and am continually disappointed with the level of classroom training of the fundamental basics never mind in depth stuff that they receive whilst on their ‘day off’ at the local college. How on earth can / will they be able to repair vehicles if they have a lack of understanding of the working principles surely college is for that and the workplace is for the ‘hands on’

Being centrally located between two towns I have tried each ones college they both have excellent facilities (we must be lucky on that one no lack of gov spending here) but neither to me have provided training (particularly electrical) that is fit for purpose.

My last apprentice (I have been lucky with him he has had a car interest since 10 and helped his dad build his trikes / offroad Landrovers) finished his NVQ3 last year and I have taken him on, to combat the lack of suitable training from his local college whilst on the summer break after completing and passing year 2 I sent him on the Bosch training course - essential test procedures – in his own words he told me he had learnt more in the two days on that course than he had in two years at college! Consequently he has just done the Bosch scope course this week and is progressing well.

A good tech can be produced by training from scratch but we need the colleges to up their game, I think it has been said but to me as they only receive their pot of cash on results does any trainee good, bad or indifferent ever fail a NVQ??

I am on the BCS forum when I heard of the Bosch proposal to train apprentices by block release that seemed like a breath of fresh air but unfortunately I can see that this will not suit everyone.

Rob