Fourteen apprentices have "opportunity of a lifetime" at Coventry City of Culture

Published by

Nicky Godding

Fourteen apprentices have started on the ‘opportunity of a lifetime’ after being appointed to help deliver Coventry’s year as UK City of Culture in 2021.

The apprentice programme sees the 14 individuals deployed across the different departments which make up the Coventry City of Culture Trust team. All positions have been filled by Coventry and Warwickshire residents aged between 16 and 27, which is a major investment in the future leadership of the creative sector for Coventry and the West Midlands.

As well as all being given training within their specific role, whilst working towards the appropriate apprenticeship standard with the support of the North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College, the apprentices will be fully immersed in the events, planning and delivery of Coventry UK City of Culture 2021 and the wider arts and culture sector.

The apprenticeship programme has been made possible through the support of the Trust’s core funders, including Coventry City Council, DCMS, Arts Council England and West Midlands Combined Authority. Cadent Foundation has also supported the apprentice programme, funding one of the apprentice roles in the production team.

Martin Sutherland, Chief Executive of the Coventry City of Culture Trust, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have appointed 14 extremely talented apprentices to deliver Coventry 2021.

“This is a ground-breaking apprenticeship programme for a City of Culture. It is a once in a lifetime opportunity for young people to work on an event of such scale, in their region, and to develop crucial skills for their future careers.

“It is wonderful to be able to fulfil our promise to the people of Coventry to invest in the skills and talent of the City”.

Hollie Edwards, the Communications Apprentice, said: “I really wanted to get involved in this massive celebration of the city. Coventry is ever changing and developing, and the City of Culture will give it an opportunity to be showcased to the rest of the world.”

The Creative Apprentice Producer for the Caring City team, Umar Sujad, said: “I wanted to join the Trust so I could make a social change while getting the chance to develop myself to become the best version of myself.”

Samuel Williams, the Ticketing Apprentice, said: “I wanted to do the apprenticeship because I want to show and tell people from all over how interesting and creative Coventry is.”

Coventry UK City of Culture 2021 will commence in May 2021, running for 12 months. The 365-day cultural programme will reflect Coventry as a diverse, modern city, demonstrating that culture is a force that changes lives.

Nicky Godding

Nicky Godding is editor of The Business Magazine. Before her journalism career, she worked mainly in public relations moving into writing when she was invited to launch Retail Watch, a publication covering retail and real estate across Europe. After some years of constant travelling, she tucked away her passport and concentrated on business writing, co-founding a successful regional business magazine. She has interviewed some of the UK’s most successful entrepreneurs who have built multi-million-pound businesses and reported on many science and technology firsts. She reports on the region’s thriving business economy from start-ups, family businesses and multi-million-pound corporations, to the professionals that support their growth and the institutions that educate the next generation of business leaders.