We have officially become the first provider to have an apprenticeship accredited by the prestigious Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC).
The Royal Society of Chemistry is the UK’s professional body for chemical scientists and has a worldwide community. They have been providing accreditation for degrees for many years and in identifying the need to recognise diversity in learning; the professional body recently made the decision to accredit vocational courses.
Accreditation enables students and employers to choose high quality vocational programmes and provides assurance that these programmes provide the knowledge and competencies required in a competitive marketplace.
Alison Payne, Programme Tutor in Science submitted the application for the Laboratory Technician apprenticeship to be accredited which was then reviewed and assessed by a panel of RSC committee members with expertise in chemistry education and apprenticeships.
The apprenticeship then officially received the accolade after the sheer quality of provision was recognised in visits where representatives met with learners, staff and employers. It was noted that ‘West Suffolk College staff go that extra mile to ensure that the apprentices receive a good learning/training experience, to equip them to succeed and to create a nurturing environment. Apprentices value the support that they receive from the college and the staff here.’
Catriona Bacon, Head of Health, Science and Social Care said: “I am immensely proud of leading the team in our science apprenticeship delivery and to receive this accolade. We are continually working very hard with our learners and employers to ensure our learners receive the outstanding learning, supporting and enhancing their professional development and growth in such fast moving and specialist vocation.”
Laraine Moody, Vice Principal for Employer Engagement said: “I am absolutely delighted that the hard work and dedication of the team has led to West Suffolk College becoming the first college to receive this amazing accolade. We are delighted to work with such an incredible organisation as The Royal Society for Chemistry and look forward to our learners and employers benefitting from this wonderful partnership.”
Katie Dryden-Holt, Vocational Skills Programme Manager at the RSC said: “The quality of provision at West Suffolk College really shone through- the nurturing environment created by the team at the college, coupled with excellent teaching and employer engagement will put West Suffolk College’s apprentices in a great position as they embark on their careers.”
The accreditation from The Royal Society of Chemistry is now in place for five years.
For more information on how to apply for an apprenticeship with us email the team directly at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.