Over four hundred apprentices from Merseyside took part in the UK’s largest formal graduation at Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral – the first of its kind to take place in the North West region.
In a successful effort to provide level 3 and level 4 achievers the same recognition given to university students upon the completion of a degree, apprentices from the six Merseyside boroughs received certificates in the same prestigious venue used to graduate Liverpool University students.
With more qualified apprentices than any other region, Merseyside is the undisputed apprenticeship capital, and the variety of qualifications and learners were made evident as excited attendees flocked to one of the two ceremonies throughout the day. From eighteen year-old college students, to seventy year-old retirees, and from hairdressers to ice sculptors, the atmosphere was one of pride and triumph.
Organised by The Liverpool City Region Apprenticeship Hub, made up of six leading local authorities, the Apprenticeship Graduation (Liverpool City Region) aimed not only to commemorate apprentices, but to further spotlight the opportunities available, and the success to be had, for those individuals who aren’t enticed by the more traditional routes.
Siobhan Saunders, Chair of Liverpool City Region Apprenticeship Hub, had the pleasure of handing graduates their scrolls. She said: “It was a superb day, thanks to the incredible atmosphere and enthusiasm among the graduates and their families.
The ceremonies were hugely successful in showcasing the variety and value of apprenticeships and vocational learning, but more than that, they were fitting celebrations of hard work and dedication that might otherwise have been overlooked. I feel honoured to have had a front row seat to it all.”
