EVENT REPORT “It was fantastic to see so many people celebrating apprenticeships and their individual achievements.” LEICESTER APPRENTICESHIP HUB GRADUATION CEREMONY 2015 EVENT REPORT Welcome The first graduation event for higher and advanced level apprentices in the Leicestershire area took place on 18 June 2015. These achievements are at the same level as university graduation, and we wanted to congratulate our apprentices working under the Hub Charter Group training providers. GRADUATION IN NUMBERS 120 ADVANCED APPRENTICES 10 HIGHER APPRENTICES 18 INTERMEDIATE APPRENTICES The event was a huge success and it 8 was great to see apprenticeships being APPRENTICESHIP PROVIDERS given the prestige and respect they richly deserve. I would like to extend my thanks 90 to the employers who have supported our REPRESENTATIVES FROM apprentices and I hope that they – and LOCAL BUSINESS others – will support similar activities in the future. 330 Our Apprenticeship Hub has successfully GUESTS OF GRADUATES created meaningful and engaging work opportunities for young people 350 in Leicester – long may it continue. TARGET FOR GRADUATES Sir Peter Soulsby AT EVENT 2016 City Mayor, Leicester City Council 3 LEICESTER APPRENTICESHIP HUB GRADUATION CEREMONY 2015 EVENT REPORT The ceremony Using the success of this event as a platform, we want to make this an annual occasion that apprentices aspire to attend and that local business wants to be associated with. There is already a great deal of appetite from local training providers to deliver these positive messages to the unengaged and the hub will continue to promote opportunities through apprenticeships Award winner Tamara Herbert for learners and businesses alike. Councillor Sue Waddington Assistant City Mayor Jobs and Skills, Leicester City Council Megan Craven Left to right top: Mr David Snartt - Chairman Leicestershire County Council, Bernard Szczech, Geeta Pendse, Dominic Heale hairdressing graduate from Bottom: Chairman’s Lady - Mrs Joan Snartt, Sir Peter Soulsby, Colonel Murray Colville, Melody Hossaini DJ’s Groom Room 4 LEICESTER APPRENTICESHIP HUB LEICESTER APPRENTICESHIP HUB GRADUATION CEREMONY 2015 EVENT REPORT GRADUATION CEREMONY 2015 EVENT REPORT The ceremony was hosted by BBC East Midlands presenters Dominic Heale and Geeta Pendse. Over 150 apprentices from across the city registered to attend the first apprenticeship graduation ceremony hosted by the Apprenticeship Hub at De Montfort Hall. The event was a celebration of the achievements Her Majesty the Queen. There were awards with of apprentices in a wide variety of local businesses categories for Apprentice of the Year and others and industries and aimed to highlight higher for local business. apprenticeships can be at the same level of Finally, the audience was treated to a performance achievement as an undergraduate university degree. from Godspell by dramatic arts performers from The City Mayor was on hand to congratulate the Leicester College and then invited to enjoy a drink apprentices alongside Colonel Murray Colville, and to take a few more commemorative photos Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Leicestershire, representing in the De Montfort Hall bar and gardens. Former star of BBC’s The Apprentice, Melody Hossaini also gave a motivational speech as did Bernard Szczech-Chief Executive of IBM Services Centre UK Limited. 5 LEICESTER APPRENTICESHIP HUB GRADUATION CEREMONY 2015 EVENT REPORT Our strategy We worked with the Leicester City Council communications team to maximise our impact for the event and received the services of a dedicated officer for the event and for subsequent apprenticeship hub projects and activities. The comms and marketing strategy was as follows: • Setting up brand and identity for event • Contact with graduands, employers, as well as unengaged young people and businesses • Promoting the event • Engaging potential financial/in kind support for events and subsequent events • Evaluation/results Event PR Our website for the event was regularly updated were shared on social media. and we produced a guide to the event for all We attracted some graduates that were not through graduands which worked as a source of information the training provider/charter group route and via and also a source of promotion. local businesses and also attracted a significant We produced short films with two young women number of councillors and local dignitaries who had signed up for the event and the photos and films not engaged with apprenticeships previously. Upskill your business for success Join us for a Higher Apprenticeships event for city and county employers at De Montfort Hall INVITATION 18 June 2015 HOET We are 3AAA 4.00pm to 6.00pm delighted to invite you to For more information and to book: llep.org.uk/HAevent/ LOUGHBOROUGH IMPACT llep.org.uk Telephone: 0116 454 2917 The first Leicester COLLEGE Apprenticeship Hub BUSINESS GATEWAY Graduation Ceremony at STEPHENSON LEARN DIRECT COLLEGE De Montfort Hall www.llepbizgateway.co.uk 18 June 2015 LEICESTER SOUTH LEICESTERSHIRE COLLEGE COLLEGE 2.00pm to 6.00pm Looking to start or grow your business? Check out what support is available at: llepbizgateway.co.uk Follow us on Twitter: @LLEPBizGateway By invitation only Register at: llep.org.uk/HAevent Dedicated Communications Officer For more information please visit: leicester.gov.uk/apprenticeshiphub Donna Marshall facebook.com/leicesterhub @leicester_hub 6 LEICESTER APPRENTICESHIP HUB LEICESTER APPRENTICESHIP HUB GRADUATION CEREMONY 2015 EVENT REPORT GRADUATION CEREMONY 2015 EVENT REPORT Having awards also meant we Post event, we shared images and stories, could work closely with business particularly those from the graduates who were and help them to tell their story. encouraged to interact with information on the The subsequent exposure will be screens at the event and Leicester City Council’s persuasive in engaging businesses digital media supported the event. and sponsors for future events. We live tweeted pictures of the apprentices from There has also been an preparing for the ceremony, right through to the increase in enquiry forms submitted end of the awards. to the hub from local businesses. This became a wrap-up Storify piece and a Training providers were given graduation Facebook gallery at the end of the day. branding and guidelines on how to share. Our numbers of likes and followers have more than We also had their communications representatives doubled. We also received considerable exposure in for meetings and briefings to discuss promotion. from our award winners. Leicester City Council support Leicester City Council’s digital media supported the event and live tweeted pictures of the apprentices preparing for the ceremony. The sentiment was overwhelmingly positive. As well as the usual spike we’d expect to see in the authority’s social activity, there was also a noticeable growth in likes on the Leicester Apprenticeship Hub Facebook page. The headline stats for LCC Hub (377 Twitter) and Facebook (488 likes) (Twitter 13.7k) and Facebook (3,959 likes) Those for the hub feed from are as follows: 18 June to 25 June are: TWEETS13 25 TWEETS IMPRESSIONS18,673 13,200 IMPRESSIONS ENGAGEMENTS 528 110 ENGAGEMENTS Leicester City Council’s event wrap-up on Storify - https://storify.com/Leicester_News/leicester- apprenticeship-hub-graduation received 89 views that month. The city council’s Facebook album had a reach of 1,401 and received 33 likes, comments and shares, while the pictures received a total of 735 views. It was the fifth best performing post of the month. 6 7 LEICESTER APPRENTICESHIP HUB GRADUATION CEREMONY 2015 EVENT REPORT Graduate feedback Employer feedback “Me and my Dad. Very proud day, we are the only two to have a cap and gown in our family, his through Uni - I thought I would never get the opportunity. Such a fantastic day, and an absolute honour!” So proud! Hannah Cowley Intermediate apprentice (Learndirect) “One of the proudest moments in my life. Well done to all. Thank you for making it possible for all of us” Kelly Louise Cavanagh Advanced apprentice (South Leicestershire College) “We had a great day yesterday. Thanks for organising such a good event!” Jessica Turrill Advanced apprentice (Stephenson College) “Had a brilliant day despite the look on my face.” Neal Lowe Advanced apprentice (Leicester College) “Lovely day and felt very proud of my achievements as should all the graduates- well done to them.” Andrea Porter Advanced apprentice (Stephenson College) 8 LEICESTER APPRENTICESHIP HUB LEICESTER APPRENTICESHIP HUB GRADUATION CEREMONY 2015 EVENT REPORT GRADUATION CEREMONY 2015 EVENT REPORT Employer feedback This was truly one of the best examples very real difference to the decision making I have seen of celebrating apprentices and conversations that many families have around apprenticeships. You must be very proud. their child’s life choices and psychologically It replicated a traditional ‘University’ this type of event lifts ‘the value’ of graduation and it was very clear that there apprentices and apprenticeships more into were many proud apprentices, mums, dads line with university graduates. and family members. This event has got to Chris Swaine be a national exemplar; a fantastic idea Learning & Development Manager (Academy) and is the type of event that can make a emh group The event ran very smoothly and the girls were she would be looking to take another qualification made to feel very special. I look forward to seeing with you. Both ladies are now Ambassadors for the event become a permanent fixture in our Apprentices via HoET. corporate calendar. Bev, as a single mother with two children is already engaged in her next course Robin Haynes having realised great value from her customer Robin Haynes Assoc CIPD (PG Dip in HRM) service apprenticeship. Laura, said on the day that HR Performance Development Manager ECF if she wasn’t going off to have her second child, Invited by Heart of England Training 8 9 LEICESTER APPRENTICESHIP HUB GRADUATION CEREMONY 2015 EVENT REPORT Trainer and guest feedback I’ve heard great things so just wanted to pass I wanted to say well done to you for the on my congratulations.