National Apprenticeship Week- Celebrating Our Rising Stars

Stagecoach East are celebrating National Apprenticeship Week by shining a light on the amazing young people who are currently undertaking apprenticeships with the bus operator in Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire and Peterborough.

This year, the 14th annual National Apprenticeship Week, which runs from 8 - 14 February 2021, aims to recognise the brilliant work being done by employers and apprentices across the country; highlighting the amazing opportunities that an apprenticeship brings to employers, individuals and the economy.

Stagecoach East are supporting the national awareness week by showcasing some of their brilliant young apprentices.

21 year old apprentice Tyler Brace first joined Stagecoach East for work experience back in 2017, whilst studying for his car mechanic Level 2 qualification, and shortly after applied for an apprenticeship with the bus operator. Since September 2018, Tyler has been carrying out an apprenticeship at Stagecoach’s Peterborough bus depot, as part of his NVQ Level 3 qualification, which includes online classes from his college, GTG Training in Wolverhampton, alongside his work experience with Stagecoach.

Despite only being at the start of his professional career, Tyler has already achieved some great milestones as a Stagecoach East apprentice. He received the Apprenticeship Lecturer's choice award in September 2019 after just 1 year of being an apprentice and recently purchased an old Stagecoach bus, which he has been personally restoring, as part of his own efforts to enhance his practical learning.

The bus was previously donated by Stagecoach East to the Eastern Bus Enthusiasts Group, a club which Tyler is part of, before being sold to Tyler for £400. Working on a site in Guyhirn, near March in Cambridgeshire, the ambitious young apprentice is currently restoring the vehicle into the Stagecoach colours and hopes for the bus to have a road run in the area soon.

Tyler Brace is one of 4 apprentices currently employed by Stagecoach East, and joins fellow students Marius in Cambridge, Will in Fenstanton and Michael in Bedford.

Tyler pictured with his bus.

Stagecoach East has a rich history of apprentices, with many of the current senior members of staff starting as apprentices in their early careers, including all the Engineering Managers and the newly appointed Managing Director, Darren Roe. This practice of passing on skills, knowledge and expertise through the generations remains an important part of Stagecoach East’s ethos and they are committed to continuing this tradition through their present day apprenticeship schemes.

Darren Roe, Managing Director for Stagecoach East, said: “During these tough times, it’s so important to be highlighting the good news stories in our region and spreading some positivity, which is why we are delighted to be celebrating National Apprenticeship Week and recognising our amazing apprentices at Stagecoach East.

“We are passionate about supporting young people at the start of their careers and giving them the help they need to kickstart their future in the automotive and transport industry. Our apprenticeships offer the chance for students, working towards a career in this sector, to gain valuable skills and real-life experience as well as the opportunity to meet industry employers, advance their qualifications and stand out from the crowd when it comes to applying for live vacancies.

“We are all so proud of our fantastic apprenticeships and urge anyone currently studying towards a career in this industry to reach out and enquire about our work experience opportunities.”

For more information on apprenticeship opportunities with Stagecoach, please visit: https://www.stagecoachbus.com/promos-and-offers/national/apprenticeship-schemes-with-stagecoach-bus