Foundation Apprenticeship team highly commended

Aberdeenshire Council’s Foundation Apprenticeship (FA) team has been highly commended in the Skills Development category at the prestigious Offshore Achievements Awards.

Held last Thursday (March 13) at P&J Live in Aberdeen, the awards celebrate outstanding contributions and innovation within the energy industry.

Since 2019, Aberdeenshire Council has delivered an extensive FA programme across secondary schools, providing pupils with valuable work-based learning qualifications that help develop key employability skills. 

The commendation comes as Aberdeenshire Council sets out plans to introduce an Energy Engineering FA.

Developing the Young Workforce Lead Officer Andrew Ritchie said: “This is fantastic recognition for our programme from a key global organisation representing the energy sector. The impact we see is down to hard work from the brilliant FA Team, schools, tutors, pupils and – of course - employers.

“Our project offers pupils the opportunity to take work-based qualifications in different subject areas which are transferable to the energy sector and elsewhere within the employment market.

“Foundation Apprenticeships develop key employability skills, aligning with pupil career aspirations, and benefit employers by reducing recruitment costs, identifying and fast-tracking new talent, and building permanent community links.”

The proposed Level 5 Energy Engineering FA course, developed in conjunction with Offshore Energies UK, is designed to address skills shortages and offer an effective pathway into the energy sector. 

If you would like to get involved with the FA delivery, contact andrew.ritchie@aberdeenshire.gov.uk