Eastleigh College and its network of training partners are delighted with the growth in the number of Apprenticeship places offered by employers this year. Aided by the Daily Echo 100 in 100 campaign, the College is currently training over 1150 apprentices of all ages on a wide variety of programmes.

Eastleigh College prides itself on the services it offers to businesses, a view reflected by business clients from a wide variety of industries and disciplines.

Jeanette Harrison, Faculty Registrar of Media, Arts and Society at Southampton Solent University, has experienced the benefits of employing an apprentice through Eastleigh College:

"The quality of the candidates put forward gave me a lot of confidence. Our experience has been so positive that we are committing to it for a second year."

Craig Wilson, Area Manager for Seddon Property Services, said of taking on apprentices via Eastleigh College:

"These are the first two apprentices we've taken on through Eastleigh College. Communication from the College to the company is a lot better than we'd normally expect, and they keep us updated with the apprentice and how they're progressing, which is great. To be honest, Eastleigh College is better than most I've dealt with and I'd definitely use them again."

Jake Ellis, maintenance apprentice at Seddon Property Services, was equally pleased with the programme:

"I wanted to do an Apprenticeship because you can learn and work at the same time. I am very grateful that I was given the opportunity to become an apprentice at Seddon, where the team have supported me throughout."

To ensure employers receive the maximum value from their investment in their staff, Eastleigh College Training Agency provides a complete package to organisations looking to recruit a new apprentice, or enrol existing employees onto Apprenticeship programmes. The College services include advertising vacancies, matching candidates with relevant skills to the appropriate vacancy, investigating government funding options and providing any additional training required for candidates to take on the role.

Eastleigh College is committed to providing a wide range of the most up-to-date and high quality Apprenticeship programmes, relevant to both large and small organisations. Significant investment has been made into the facilities at the College, creating an exceptional learning environment which has been a key factor in the high success rates students of the College can expect. As part of the College's commitment to local employers, it also offers a 'Price Match Promise' on many of the Apprenticeship programmes available, ensuring prices are the most competitive in the local area.

Gary Grant, Learning & Development Manager for the Office for National Statistics, said:

"ONS enjoys a very good relationship with Eastleigh College and the Apprenticeship programme is going from strength to strength. The College plays a key role in ensuring the success of the programme. Staff are able to apply what they learn to their everyday work and make a real difference. We look forward to continuing our relationship with Eastleigh and working together to help ONS staff develop the skills they need in the modern day Civil Service. "

To find out more about the Apprenticeship programmes and wide range of services offered by Eastleigh College, please call 023 8091 1226 or email ecta@eastleigh.ac.uk.