Rolls-Royce awarded “outstanding” rating for apprenticeship scheme
Wednesday, 24 February 2010The Rolls-Royce Apprenticeship Scheme has been labelled “outstanding” in every area in its latest Ofsted inspection report. There are currently over 650 Rolls-Royce apprentices undertaking their training at the Group’s sites across the UK, including at Derby, Bristol, Hucknall and Annesley.
Inspectors said of the training Rolls-Royce delivers: “Learners gain outstanding technical and employment skills and demonstrate excellent organisational and technical skills throughout their training and in the workplace. They gain excellent team working and personal management skills. Learners attain qualifications and skills significantly more demanding than the requirements of the national apprenticeship framework and a majority progress to higher education.”
Rolls-Royce Head of Learning Services, Graham Schuhmacher, said: “We are thrilled that Ofsted has recognised the dedication of our team and this underlines our excellent reputation for training apprentices.
“We aim to offer the most effective combination of training and experience. As a world class company, we are focused on attracting and developing the talent of tomorrow to maintain our competitive advantage now and in the future.”
Ofsted also praised the leadership shown within Rolls-Royce. Inspectors noted: “Leaders and managers promote, set and monitor very high standards for the management of the apprenticeship programmes.”
In addition to the advanced apprenticeship scheme, 39 young apprentices (YAs) aged between 14 and 16 from schools in Derby attend one day a week as part of the Rolls-Royce Young Apprenticeship Scheme. This gives them an excellent introduction to an engineering career and provides vocational qualifications.
A high proportion of YAs move to full apprenticeships. In the 2007 group who have just completed the YA scheme, 50 per cent progressed onto the Rolls-Royce advanced apprenticeship and 40 per cent progressed to full-time engineering or advanced level science courses.
Neeraj Sunger who was a YA in 2007 and is now in the first year of the advanced apprenticeship scheme said: “Starting as a Young Apprentice (YA), I saw the excellent opportunities that a Rolls-Royce apprenticeship could provide and therefore was delighted to be offered a place on the Advanced Apprenticeship programme. Due to the academic qualifications I had achieved at school, and the fact that I had completed a Rolls-Royce YA programme, I was allowed to go straight onto the Foundation Degree.
“As a Manufacturing Engineering Apprentice, I will also be given the opportunity to complete a full engineering degree. I am thoroughly enjoying my apprenticeship and would strongly encourage other young people to follow my example.”
Meanwhile 79 apprentices are undertaking training in the Engineering Skills Community Training Programme. Suppliers to Rolls-Royce employ these apprentices and use the Rolls-Royce training facilities for apprentice training in the Derby area.
- Rolls-Royce, a world-leading provider of power systems and services for use on land, at sea and in the air, has established a strong position in global markets - civil aerospace, defence aerospace, marine and energy.
- As a result of this strategy, Rolls-Royce today has a broad customer base comprising more than 600 airlines, 4,000 corporate and utility aircraft and helicopter operators, 160 armed forces, more than 2,000 marine customers, including 70 navies, and energy customers in nearly 120 countries, with an installed base of 54,000 gas turbines.
- Rolls-Royce employs over 38,000 skilled people in offices, manufacturing and service facilities in 50 countries. The Group has a strong commitment to apprentice and graduate recruitment, and to further developing employee skills.
- In 2009, Rolls-Royce invested £864 million on research and development, two thirds of which had the objective of further improving the environmental aspects of its products, in particular the reduction of emissions.
- Annual underlying revenues were £10.4 billion in 2009. The firm and announced order book stood at £58.3 billion at year-end, providing visibility of future levels of activity.
