A WEST Devon apprenticeship scheme received recognition for its work recently at the National Apprenticeship Awards.
Moorskills, an upland apprenticeship based on Dartmoor, has been featured in the first ever Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers' List, supported by the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) and City and Guilds — the UK's leading vocational education organisation.
Moorskills aims to maintain the skills and traditions of Dartmoor Hill Farming, by hands on experience working beside a farmer and through partnership delivery with Duchy College of a land-based apprenticeship and national diploma.
The Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers is a new initiative to recognise excellence in businesses that employ apprentices. By celebrating their outstanding achievements, NAS and City & Guilds hope to raise the profile of apprenticeships and promote their benefits to learners and employers alike.
The top 100 employers were announced at the annual National Apprenticeship Awards recently.
After a rigorous selection process the most outstanding Apprenticeship employers from all four National Apprenticeship Awards employer categories went forward to feature in the list.
Sandra Dodd from Moorskills said: 'It's fantastic that the hard work put in by the farmers and partners has been recognised. Duchy College has been very flexible in its delivery and this has enabled Moorskills to evolve into the successful scheme that is run on Dartmoor.'
Simon Waugh, executive chairman of the National Apprenticeship Service, said: 'I am delighted to be celebrating the success of the first Top 100 Apprenticeship employers; they represent the very best apprenticeship programmes across the country.
CEO and director general of City and Guilds Chris Jones said: 'City and Guilds is committed to creating a more proficient and sustainable economy through vocational education while encouraging learners to discover their talent and unlock their potential. Apprenticeships will be integral to this, providing the workforce of tomorrow with the skills they need to succeed.
'In line with National Apprenticeship Week in February, City & Guilds launched Million Extra — our mission to help ensure one million people start an Apprenticeship by summer 2013.
'As part of Million Extra, we want to celebrate those employers who are already helping us achieve this.
'They set an exceptional example to other businesses and we hope they will inspire others to take on apprentices and put themselves forward for next year's Top 100.'