Stagecoach earns Top 100 Apprenticeship Employer recognition as it leads transport sector on new starts

STAGECOACH, the UK's largest bus and coach operator, has been ranked as 1 of the country's top 100 apprenticeship employers, leading the transport sector on the number of new starts.  New Department of Education figures show there were more than 930 new apprentices in training at Stagecoach in 2021 to 2022; the highest number of any company in the transport, travel and logistics sector. Benchmarked against more than 500 employers in multiple sectors of the economy, Stagecoach was ranked 36th in the national league table that recognises England's leading apprenticeship employers. The survey evaluates organisations' overall commitment to employing apprentices, their creation of new apprenticeships, the diversity of their new apprentices, and the progression of their apprentices onto further apprenticeships and employment. Stagecoach currently has its highest ever number of apprentices with over 1,000 individuals across the country being trained in a variety of roles from driving and engineering to IT apprentice qualifications. Qualifications are gained in partnership with GTG Training for Engineering and Realise for Driver Apprenticeships who were also voted the best apprenticeship provider of the year.

Stagecoach has been offering engineering apprenticeships for over 20 years, and it also offers a:- 'trade up' scheme, giving existing employees the opportunity to undertake an apprenticeship with the engineering team. The employer rankings have been developed by the Department of Education, in partnership with High Fliers Research, who independently assess and rank the country's top apprenticeship employers. The award is aimed to showcase the country's most outstanding apprenticeship employers and recognise them for their vital work boosting career opportunities.

Carla Stockton Jones, Stagecoach UK Managing Director said:- "We are absolutely delighted to be named as 1 of the top 100 employers for our apprenticeship programmes. Developing talent is something we take pride in, ensuring we have a strong pipeline of employees throughout our business who can go on to achieve great things here. What makes our programmes even more unique is that they aren't designed only for young people leaving School or College, but a diverse and broad range of individuals can join the team and learn new skills. From ex-pilots, to hairdressers for celebrities, we've welcomed many people with different backgrounds and ages to their new careers with Stagecoach and we hope to do the same for many years to come."

Molly Stevenson is the 1st female engineering apprentice to join Stagecoach's engineering team in Fife, and recently featured in Stagecoach's programme produced in partnership with ITN Business to mark the Queen's Jubilee. She said: -"After working in offices for a few years, I decided that it was about time I got a job that was closely related to my hobbies, something hands on but where you're also using your brain all the time. It's really hard physical work, you're on your toes all day, every day is different, but Stagecoach is 1 of the best companies to work for."

Liverpool Philharmonic Announces 1st Emerging Musicians Fellowship Cohort

LIVERPOOL Philharmonic is delighted to announce the appointment of 4 musicians who have been selected for the 1st annual Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Emerging Musicians Fellowship. Earlier this year, Liverpool Philharmonic received over 350 applications from musicians at the beginning of their orchestral careers. The Fellowship, which has no upper age limit, offers musicians a unique, immersive professional orchestral experience, both on and off the stage over the course of a year. Notably, the Fellowship is the 1st paid opportunity of its kind in the North of England.

The 4 musicians appointed as Fellows for the 2022/23 season are:-

► Angus Bain - Violin.

► Rachael Watson - Flute.

► Cameron Chin-See - Trumpet.

► Matthew Brett - Percussion and Timpani.

If you do not already know, Angus Bain recently completed his Master's degree at the Royal Academy of Music and has since started freelancing around the UK. On his appointment, he said:- "I applied for the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Fellowship in order to work with and get to know a group of excellent professional musicians whilst honing my playing in orchestral, chamber and audition environments. I am also really looking forward to getting involved with the various educational projects on offer, learning more about the organisational side of the orchestra, and exploring the benefits of the performance and wellbeing programme."

Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) alumnus Rachael Watson is currently in her 1st year of the:- "Orchestral Artistry" Master's course at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. She said:- "I am thrilled to have received a place on the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Emerging Musicians Fellowship programme, and I am excited to continue my development by gaining further experience of working in a professional environment, learning new repertoire and building a relationship with the Orchestra."

Cameron Chin-See, from Wolverhampton, studies at the RNCM and has won the Principal Trumpet seat in the RNCM Symphony Orchestra. He said:- "I was enticed by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra fellowship as it opens up the opportunity to work with a world-class orchestra on a scale no other scheme allows. I am excited to work with the wonderful Orchestra brass section and with such renowned conductors as Domingo Hindoyan and Vasily Petrenko."

Cheshire-born Matthew Brett studies at the Royal Academy of Music in London. He said:- "I applied to the Emerging Musicians Fellowship not only with the aim of developing my personal playing skills, but also to gain an invaluable, behind-the-scenes insight into the life and work of a professional musician. I'm really thrilled to have this opportunity to develop into a young professional and learn from some of the best!"

Sameeta Gahir, Principal Piccolo, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and Lead Musician for the Emerging Musicians Fellowship, said:- "Following the launch of the Emerging Musicians Fellowship earlier this year, we received hundreds of excellent applications from musicians across the country. The standard was incredibly high and we thank all applicants for taking the time to put themselves forward. I'm thrilled to welcome Angus, Rachael, Cameron and Matthew to Liverpool Philharmonic and I'm looking forward to working with them this season."

About the Fellowship... Fellows will each be mentored by a member of their section within the Orchestra and will rehearse and perform with the Orchestra as part of the regular season programme. They will perform in concerts conducted by Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Chief Conductor Domingo Hindoyan, with Angus Bain and Cameron Chin See also set to perform in a concert conducted by Conductor Laureate Vasily Petrenko. Fellows will participate in a tailor made training package, which will include:- instrument lessons and developmental sessions, as well as sessions focused on an orchestral career.

The pioneering Liverpool Philharmonic Musicians Performance and Wellbeing Programme, including:- physiotherapy, sports massage, injury prevention screening, audiology, and performance psychology, will be fully accessible to the Fellows. Fellows will gain practical experience within Liverpool Philharmonic's extensive Learning and Participation programme, and build knowledge in various areas of the organisation, such as the music library, marketing, programming and fundraising departments.