Congratulations to Portakabin apprentice Jordan Layne who has been successful with his application to the Institute for Apprenticeships and will join them as apprentice representative.

The Institute for Apprenticeships is an employer-led body that ensures high-quality apprenticeship standards in England. Their panel of apprentices reports directly to the board and are all apprentices from different occupations and have had varying experience. The main purpose of the panel is to ensure that the views of apprentices are represented across the work and governance of the Institute. The panel decides for itself which issues to focus on and can advise and challenge the Board.

DTA's new Exploring Engineering Event was held on Wednesday 16th May to celebrate 30 years in training and the Government's scheme of 2018 being announced as the Year of Engineering. 

Over 40 DTA apprentices attended the MACH Exhibition at the NEC in Birmingham on Wednesday 11th April. MACH is a trade show which takes place every 2 years' and deals specifically in engineering based manufacturing. The trip was organised by DTA's Training and Assessment Manager, Bob Watmore, to allow apprentices to look at the new advancement in technology within the engineering industry. DTA have previously taken apprentices in 2016 and 2014 and all commented that they benefited from attending the exhibition. 

Critical power product and services provider Dale Power Solutions has been awarded the Queen's Award for Enterprise: Promoting Opportunity 2018. The award has been given in recognition of the very successful apprenticeship programme that the company has been operating for a number of years. The programme aims to communicate the benefits of apprenticeships, promote Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects and work within the local community to provide accessible training, career opportunities, and an alternative to further education. 

Free workshops for North Yorkshire and East Riding Engineering, Digital and Manufacturing SME's.

North Yorkshire Business and Education Partnership (NYBEP) has designed a Toolkit in partnership with Derwent Training Association on behalf of Calderdale College. It forms part of the College's wider work within an ESF-funded Skills Support for the Workforce programme, which aims to support the skills priotities of the York, North Yorkshire and East Riding Local Enterprise Partnership

DTA are pleased to have raised £38 for Saint Catherine's Hospice as part of Yorkshire Coast Radio's Bring a Pound to Work Day.

Thank you to all Staff and Apprentices who donated to a great charity. 

DTA's training centre in Malton was busy with budding engineers on Tuesday 6th March visiting the Open Evening as part of National Apprenticeship Week.

The evening allowed visitors to have a tour of DTA's facilities such as the Mechanical Workshop, state of the art Mechatronics Lab and Welding Bays. It also gave them the opportunity to ask current apprentices about their experience of being an engineering apprentice and finding out what great local employers are on their doorstep in North Yorkshire and what a career in their company entails.

DTA's first year welding apprentices took their on the job learning into the community on Tuesday 6th February to repair a broken fence around a veteran tree in Malton's Castle Gardens.

The project which was in partnership with Derwent Riverside Project Group allowed the apprentices to apply skills they wouldn't normally use in their day to day jobs; designing the fence which included costings and transportation from DTA's training centre to Castle Garden which allowed them to develop their communication skills by having open discussions with the rest of their group which will benefit them in their careers within the local area. The apprentices who took part in the project showed fantastic teamwork and work ethic throughout the duration of the project. 

DTA's annual Open Evening is due to take place on Tuesday 6th March 4pm - 7pm as part of National Apprenticeship Week and National Careers Week.

The evening will give visitors the opportunity to speak to local employers' about career opportunities in their companies and what a job entails, have a look around our specialist training facilities and have a go with some interactive engineering activities. Visitors can also speak to current apprentices from different companies across North Yorkshire about their experience and what their roles entail. 

DTA Staff & Apprentices (Credit to Gazette and Herald)