Nelson and Colne College has launched a new high quality Commercial Procurement and Supply Apprenticeship in partnership with the East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce to close the county’s skills gaps.
The new Apprenticeship is designed to suit job roles in the areas of contract support, commissioning, buying and stock or inventory control and is ideal for those seeking to develop their commercial capability.
It will support those who wish to move into junior and middle management procurement roles or those supervising the procurement function of a business, and the Apprenticeship, which would take around two years to complete, also includes the Level 4 CIPS Diploma in Procurement Supply.
The benefits of this Apprenticeship to businesses includes enjoying the expertise of a designated Procurement Mentor alongside the Apprentice’s Trainer Assessor to maximise the value of the Apprenticeship, cost-effective upskilling of staff with the latest knowledge and up-to-date training to close skills shortages and flexible start times and delivery options.
Alison Rushton, Vice Principal of Nelson and Colne College, said: “I’m very proud that the college has been able to launch the Apprenticeship in Commercial Procurement and Supply with our outstanding partners the East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce.
“This is an exciting opportunity, with employers able to use the Apprenticeship Levy to develop purchasing expertise, saving them thousands of pounds, while non-Levy payers can save over £8,000 on the cost of the Level 4 CIPS Diploma to invest in and grow their talent.
“Nelson and Colne College has a proud reputation with businesses across East Lancashire and beyond for our high quality service and this latest offer will have that same hallmark of excellence, with delivery tailored and flexible around the needs of a business.”
Christine Lambe, Business and Training Director at the East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce, said: “Nelson and Colne College are the perfect partner and stakeholder for Chamber Business Training.
“They deliver and achieve excellence across their Apprenticeship portfolio and the fit in terms of values and ethics is seamless. We anticipate lots of great opportunities and look forward to developing a win-win relationship for the benefit of both organisations in the future.”
Nelson and Colne College currently has over 1,000 Apprentices working in businesses both large and small across the North West, delivering measurable impact.
The college’s achievement rates are consistently 20% above the national average and NCC is the number one college in the country for overall Apprenticeship achievement, at all ages and levels, and is number one nationally for 16-18 timely Apprenticeship completions, at all levels.
Chris Smith, Managing Director of Pendle Engineering, said: “We take training seriously at Pendle Engineering and we want to upskill our workforce where possible and as quickly as possible.
“We are always open to learning about new and different Apprenticeship opportunities such as this procurement offering which we are currently considering.
“Our relationship with Nelson and Colne College is going really well – it’s local which counts for a lot and it has made a real impact.”
Julie Dix, Training and Development Manager at Silentnight, said: “Silentnight is always interested in learning about new Apprenticeships in terms of developing and upskilling – and I think this is definitely of interest for developing a greater understanding in areas of supply and purchasing.
“Our relationship with Nelson and Colne College is brilliant and it’s growing. It’s really easy to work with NCC and I know that my Apprentices will get the support they need.”
In its 2017/18 results, NCC achieved a 99% pass rate at A Level and a 99.6% pass rate in advanced vocational courses.
One in five NCC leavers in 2018 progressed onto Russell Group universities, including Oxbridge, while others gained fantastic Apprenticeships or excellent employment opportunities.
Nelson and Colne College has been rated as Outstanding by Ofsted since 2005. It is the top college in the country for 16-18 learner achievement, at all levels, and is number one in the country for A Levels, based on progress scores.
Government data also places NCC as the best college in the area for vocational courses, based on progress scores, while it is also the best college in Lancashire for student satisfaction, according to the FE Choices Learner Satisfaction Survey.
For more information on NCC visit www.nelson.ac.uk or contact the Admissions Team on 01282 440272.
