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Skills Minister visits Brooksby Melton College
Government Minister David Lammy, who is Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Skills, made a special visit to Brooksby Melton College in September, at the invitation of Landbased Service Engineering lecturer Richard Trevarthen.
The Minister had originally been invited to be the guest speaker at the College’s Service Engineering Presentation Day, but was unable to attend. Instead he asked if he could come and see for himself the investment that the College has made in its learning resources, and the achievements of the John Deere Ag and Turf Tech programmes in delivering award winning industry training for apprentice service technicians.
Brooksby Melton College is a Centre of Vocational Excellence in Service Engineering and Apprenticeships at the Spinney Campus, and is no stranger to industry accolades. This year, apprentice service technician Jason Wignall of John Deere dealer Masons in Devon won the prestigious City & Guilds Medal for Excellence for outstanding individual performance. This makes him the first John Deere Turf Tech graduate, and the 12th John Deere engineering apprentice in all, to achieve this rare honour since 1996 – a unique achievement in the engineering sector.
During his visit, David Lammy said: “It’s been a fantastic visit to Brooksby today, and I have found it incredibly informative. It is inspiring to see such a large collection of modern apprentices, and to be at a College which is recognised as a Centre of Vocational Excellence, whilst having the opportunity to speak with the Principal and employers and witness the close working relationship which exists. This visit has helped me and the Government as we drive the skills agenda forward in the UK.”
The Ag and Turf Tech apprenticeship programmes are run by Richard Trevarthen and Phil Spencer of Brooksby Melton College in conjunction with John Deere, with the support of the Learning & Skills Council. Ag Tech was the first agricultural engineering apprentice scheme of its kind to be introduced in the UK, in 1992, and won a National Training Award at the end of 1997, the only one ever made to an agricultural machinery company. Altogether 234 apprentices have graduated through the scheme to date, covering both programmes.
The programmes offer John Deere dealer apprentices three years of 'on-the-job' training with block release at Brooksby Melton College, and include regular attendance at the John Deere training centre at Langar. Technicians graduating through the programme achieve the BAGMA/City & Guilds of London Institute 4025 Agricultural/Groundcare Service Engineers NVQ Level 2 & 3 Certificates and the John Deere Ag or Turf Tech Certificate. A fourth year of special training leads to the John Deere Ag or Turf Tech Diploma.
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