SENIOR pupils have the chance to gain the skills and experience that employers need while still at school.

Forth Valley College is recruiting four foundation apprentices, available for S5 pupils from local schools who will have the opportunity to complete elements of a modern apprenticeship.

The innovative scheme links the college with local employers and aims to help students build their future careers.

In the next two academic years, an expanded set of foundation apprenticeships will be available in social services and healthcare, children and young people and business skills – all based at the Stirling campus.

Engineering programmes will be based at the Falkirk campus and all are due to start at the end of August.

The foundation apprenticeships combine academic learning with hands-on skills and upon completion, pupils can progress onto a modern apprenticeship, college study or a university degree.

Fiona Brown, associate principal at the college, said: “We are delighted to be offering senior school pupils the opportunity to come to the college and study for a foundation apprenticeship qualification.

“Forth Valley College is already a leading provider of modern apprenticeships and it is a great fit for us to add these new programmes to our diverse portfolio.

“The qualifications will be an excellent starting point for young people who would like to move into a modern apprenticeship, further education or employment when they leave school and will give them an even greater chance of landing the role they are looking for.

“The skills they develop will be highly valued by employers and the pupils will get the opportunity to gain experience not available at school.”

Gavin Rennie, emerging talent programme leader of the Learning and Talent Development Department at Prudential UK and Europe – one of the local employers involved, added: “Gaining a place on the foundation apprentice programme will begin to equip the students with the skills, knowledge and behaviours that are required for employment in any business function in any company.

“Whilst we are a financial services organisation we have a wide variety of career opportunities across a wide range of business functions, IT, finance, HR, customer service, sales and marketing to name just a few.

“More importantly, though the focus will equally be on the transferable skills, like communication, team working and problem solving, which are required in most long term careers.

“This is a great opportunity to learn these skills at the same time as gaining an understanding of what makes a business tick.”