Please welcome Catherine Davies, Technical Service Manager in Earth Sciences, who joins the Apprenticeship Programme management team today.

She will provide a ‘Pastoral Support’ service that gives help and support to apprentices as well as providing information, advice and guidance.  The aim is to identify any concerns or issues at the earliest possible opportunity and remove any barriers to learning which may be preventing our apprentices from reaching their potential.

Catherine will also lead on our ‘Sustainability’ agenda. In the first instance this involves apprentices being part of the green impact lab teams. They will assist both Catherine and laboratory managers as project assistants (GIPA), learning about management of laboratory processes such as fume cupboards and safe use/storage of chemicals. After sufficient training and experience they will become ‘green impact’ auditors for the University.

Colin.

Patterdale in the Lake District is the chosen venue for our EPS Technical Apprenticeship team building event.

In May 2015 both Cohorts 1 and 2 plus a small number of University staff will spend a week participating in team building activities. Aimed at increasing confidence and communications skills they will develop new contacts to help build their professional networks.

Precise details to follow in the New Year.

Colin.

During January 2015 the University will be completing a film outlining the apprenticeship programme by interviewing several volunteers from Cohorts 1 and 2 plus a number of key University staff.

This footage will be combined with shots taken at Ghyll Head during the 2014 team building event to produce a short, snappy ‘Day in the life of’ video clip.

If you want to get involved or have ideas for suitable filming locations please message me before Christmas.

Colin.

The Faculty has recently appointed a specialist technician to act as our glass blowing apprentice. He will be primarily based in the School of Chemistry, but will also enjoy rotations through other Schools and departments in a similar fashion to our existing mechanical and laboratory apprentices.

The programme will be run in conjunction with the British Society of Scientific Glassblowers  following closely their syllabi below.

SUMMARY OF COURSE SYLLABI

INTRODUCTION TO ELEMENTARY SCIENTIFIC GLASSBLOWING

A beginner’s course. The syllabus has been arranged to provide a simple basic training for technicians and scientists wishing to acquire a useful elementary expertise as an addition to other laboratory skills.

Also, when applied with emphasis on basic manipulative skills, this syllabus provides a progressive and interesting starting point for the apprentice glassblower.

HANDBURNER GLASSWORKING

This syllabus may be taught in conjunction with the Elementary syllabus on which to some small degree it is dependent; a combination of both will provide a much improved scope of simple basic techniques considered adequate to meet the needs of most technicians and scientists.

This course is also an essential preliminary to Lathe Glass working.

SCIENTIFIC GLASSBLOWING STAGE ONE

Practical bench lamp work with a little theory. A progressive continuation and broadening of the work covered in the Elementary syllabus.

SCIENTIFIC GLASSBLOWING STAGE TWO

Practical bench lamp work with a little theory. A progressive continuation of the work covered in Stage One syllabus and a broadening of techniques.

LATHE GLASSWORKING STAGE ONE

A basic course for beginners covering the first principles of glass manipulation using a glassworking lathe. Some theory is included and lathe care and maintenance.

ADVANCED LATHE GLASSWORKING

Further development of Lathe Glassworking. This syllabus Includes work of an appreciatively higher standard than Lathe Glassworking Stage One. Some theory is included.

The EPS  Apprenticeship Programme team welcomes our latest recruit.

Today we have invited six candidates to the University Laboratory Apprentice Selection day. We hope to select two who will join our existing Cohort 2 and spend the next four years learning their roles alongside expert staff.

Our 2014 intake has arrived, split between Trafford College and our University.

Work hard and you’ll have a great time.

I’ll try and meet you all this week.

Colin.

The University has chosen five more apprentices to begin their life journey in the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences.

Starting next week, lasting for four years and known as Cohort 2, they will be educated and trained by talented experts at the University across all the Schools and will gain their formal qualifications from our chosen provider, Trafford College.

Welcome to them all.

Colin.

All 11 of the EPS Technical Apprentices have successfully navigated their way through the first 6 months of training and education and passed the first assessment point.

They will now continue their journey with the University of Manchester……..Congratulations to all.

The University has been eerily quiet recently and here’s the reason why.
Our first cohort of Technical Apprentices are enjoying a few days away, team building in the Lake District.
I’m sure many photos will follow, but here’s one to be going on with.