Students, employers, staff and alumni gathered in the Graduate Centre on London Met’s Holloway campus last week to celebrate some of the success stories from our apprentices.
Date: 28 March 2018
“We are a progressive institution committed to balancing the odds in favour of our students,” said Professor John Raftery, London Met’ Vice-Chancellor, told the audience in his opening address. “Our apprenticeship and work related learning schemes are designed to make our graduates work-place ready. This is a partnership and if we get it right it works for the employer, the University and most importantly the students.”
After the Vice-Chancellor’s welcome, Saad Lala and Ryan Godfrey, who are working towards a Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply Level 3 qualification at the Bank of England.
“We’ve been able to start our careers at a prestigious and globally recognised organisation,” said Saad. “The structure of the course, part work and part study, will help us to more easily transition into the world of work.”
Saad and Ryan are nearly at the end of their 18-month programme and have appreciated the support they’ve had from London Met. Ryan, said: “Tutors and staff ensured that the apprenticeship moved swiftly and we were comfortable with our progress. We both felt encouraged to grow and learned a lot through assignments carried out on the job.”
The event was led by Professor Dominic Palmer Brown, Pro Vice Chancellor for Employment Outcomes at London Met, he said: “It’s fantastic to hear from employers like the Bank of England, Tesco, and You Press about how our students are making such a positive impact during their placements.
“Our apprenticeship and work-related learning schemes are generating a real impetus for students to develop the skills, networks, and confidence they need to build productive and rewarding careers.”
Among the employers working with London Met in attendance on the night were BT, Camden Council, the Bank of England, CBRE, Hackney Council, Health Education England, HSBC, Tesco, and You Press, a London-based social enterprise based in London run by volunteers and creative artists to support young writers and poets to bring their words and art to a wider audience.
Farah Mohammoud is Director and Co-Founder of You Press. He said: “The London Met students that have worked with us have been fantastic. I’ve been hugely impressed with how talented and committed they are.
“Perhaps the thing that’s stood out most to me is that many of the students have continued to volunteer with us after they’ve completed the 150 hours outlined by the scheme. Their efforts have a made an important contribution to the growth of You Press.”
