Apprenticeships and Mack & Mabel

09.07.12

Up early and to the Mansion House by 8:15am for a discussion on "Making Apprenticeships Fit for the Future". A sizable gathering of people representing Livery, Education and Business contributed to a programme of first class speakers who were drawn from both large and small companies, and education and training. Led by the Lord Mayor the event was organised by the Livery Companies Skills Council. In addition to apprenticeships the discussion turned to University Technical Colleges (Academies) including the new IT / Mercers Hammersmith Academy, a project with which our Outreach team has been involved.

There was a great deal of useful discussion around the Livery Trades and Technologies, and having started my life in a Technical College and later chaired the development of Marketing NVQ's I found it of great interest. However, the professions, to which the majority of Modern Livery Companies relate, were not discussed. As your Master and Wardens have the question of marketing apprenticeships on their agenda I shall leave my views for another blog. And so off to the Marketors office for a meeting.

Following the meeting I picked up a copy of the Evening Standard on the way home only to find a picture of Bea (Brenda) and I under the headline "Music from Mack and Mabel brought me back from the dead". It was about how I recovered from my op with the help of music from a favourite show - one we recently invested in and which opened the previous week and was to have its press night this Wednesday (11th). So Brenda's PR activities were most timely.

John Flynn
Master Marketor