COLLEGE staff have stepped in to protect the futures of young people who dream of careers in science and engineering.

Students with ambitions to succeed in STEM industries – science, technology, engineering and maths – could have had their hopes dashed after Oxfordshire County Council cut ties to its own apprenticeship programme.

But Abingdon and Witney College has salvaged the Apprenticeship Launchpad programme, defending students’ right to education outside of university.

Greg Rendell, marketing manager at the Abingdon college, said: “The council felt it was something it didn’t want to continue. But we think it is very valuable.

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“People don’t fully understand apprenticeships. There are more options for pupils in year 11 than there ever used to be– it can be confusing for parents.”

Luke Simmonds, who lives in central Oxford, took up a business administration apprenticeship at the college after ditching a motor sports course.

The 20-year-old said: “I love working with computers and wanted a change.

“The role is really diverse, no day is the same. It gives you a taste of work.”

“I was looking at universities but decided not to go, for a number of things to do with funding and price. I wasn’t really a big fan of the actual nature of teaching – somebody standing up and telling me what I had to learn and was expected to know. It was too much repetition.”

The college worked alongside the council to deliver the Apprenticeship Launchpad, a countywide scheme which launched in 2013 to push STEM subjects.

It promotes apprenticeships to pupils in year 10 and 11 regardless of which school or college they attend.

Company tours, workplace activities and employee networking are all packaged up in the programme, which works alongside organisations like the University of Oxford, the NHS and BMW.

Mr Rendell said: “It facilitates apprenticeships and really makes sure students are aware of them and how they work, and the opportunities they offer.Oxfordshire has such a lot of high-tech companies who really see the value in apprenticeships.”

Owen Morton, county council spokesman, said: “Unfortunately we no longer had the resources to continue delivering the launchpad project, but very much wanted to see it continue under an alternative provider.”