#AZAwards2026 | The Winners
Georgia Stewart, Events Co-ordinator
22nd Jun 2026
The winners are crowned for AZ Awards 2026!
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Latest news
The latest news is where you'll find updates on the PETA brand, our Cosham and Havant centres.
We'll share news, press releases, exclusive offers and more so you can stay updated on all things PETA Training.
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#AZAwards2026 | The Shortlist
Georgia Stewart, Events Co-ordinator
10th Apr 2026
We are so excited to announce the shortlist for our Apprentice & Employer of the Year Awards 2026! Congratulations to all the nominees!
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Apprentice Vs Dragons' Den 2026 Final!
Georgia Stewart, Events Co-ordinator
12th Mar 2026
An opportunity for students to take part in a programme where they think of a product to solve one of modern lives challenges.
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BTEC Project Day - 20th February
Lilly Marchant, Marketing Officer (Apprentice)
24th Feb 2026
Our BTEC Project Day gave our Mechanical apprentices the opportunity to present their final projects to fellow learners, colleagues and industry partners, demonstrating their technical ability, problem solving skills and the tangible impact of their work in the workplace.
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Macmillan Coffee Morning 2025 at PETA
Georgia Stewart, Events Co-ordinator
2nd Oct 2025
Our team came together for a fun-filled Macmillan Coffee Morning, enjoying delicious bakes, sweet treats, and activities all while raising funds for a fantastic cause
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BTEC Project Day - 24th September
Georgia Stewart, Events Co-ordinator
1st Oct 2025
Our second BTEC Project Day saw Mechanical and Electrical apprentices showcase innovative final projects to peers, staff and employers, highlighting their skills, creativity and real workplace impact.
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BTEC Project Day - 18th September
Georgia Stewart, Events Co-ordinator
19th Sep 2025
Practical skills and innovative thinking were on show as PETA BTEC learners presented their final projects at our recent Project Day.
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#AZAwards2025 - A Night of Celebration
30th Jun 2025
Relive the excitement of our 2025 Apprentice and Employer of the Year Awards, held at Portsmouth Guildhall. With more than 250 attendees, the evening celebrated the outstanding contributions of apprentices, employers, and PETA staff.
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#AZAwards2025 | The Shortlist
4th Apr 2025
We are so excited to announce the shortlist for our Apprentice & Employer of the Year Awards 2025! Congratulations to all the nominees!
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Apprentice Vs Dragons’ Den 2024/25 Final: The Results!
18th Feb 2025
We held our fourth Apprentice Vs Dragons’ Den final during National Apprenticeship Week, and the competition was stronger than ever. Hear more about what happened on the night, plus an exclusive interview with the winning team – ‘Glow’ from Toynbee School.
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PETA Shortlisted for 4 Apprentice Awards
14th Oct 2024
For the second year in row, we’ve been nominated for Training Provider of the Year, as well as 3 of our apprentices reaching the final shortlist at The News and Observer Series Apprenticeship Awards.
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PETA Partners With Mabway and BAE Saudi Arabia for Engineering Training Programme
24th Sep 2024
PETA is proud to announce the launch of a bespoke engineering training programme in collaboration with Mabway and BAE Saudi Arabia. This partnership builds on a relationship that began pre-pandemic, where we first provided educational training for BAE’s Saudi Arabian employees in 2019.
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#AZAwards2024 - A Night of Celebration
4th Jul 2024
Relive the excitement of our 2024 Apprentice and Employer of the Year Awards, held at Portsmouth Guildhall. With nearly 300 attendees, the evening celebrated the outstanding contributions of apprentices, employers, and PETA staff, introducing new awards and honouring top achievers.
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Celebrating Women in Engineering – Apprentice Interview
21st Jun 2024
Hear from Megan, Amber and Amy, former PETA apprentices currently working at H&S Aviation, about how they got into the industry, their experiences as women in engineering, and what needs to be done to encourage the future of women in STEM.
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First Cohort Of Our New Engineering Leadership Programme Celebrates Success
12th Apr 2024
Last week, our first cohort of First Line Leadership in Engineering delegates successfully completed the 6-month programme, with a final session where they were accompanied by their managers and delivered their final project presentations.
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#AZAwards2024 | The Full Shortlist
8th Apr 2024
We are so excited to announce the full shortlist for our Apprentice & Employer of the year Awards! Congratulations to all the nominees!
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International Women’s Day 2024 | Inspiring Inclusion
8th Mar 2024
Celebrating International Women’s Day 2024 with interviews with some of our inspiring team members! Hear more about what they do and how they’ve developed in their time at PETA.
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The Portsmouth Academy takes home Overall Winner Award at Apprentice Vs Dragons’ Den 2023/24 final
14th Feb 2024
Team ‘E-Kitchen’ won the £500 prize as the overall winning product, after pitching an app designed to reduce food waste.
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Apprentice Vs Dragons' Den Final 23/24: 1 Week To Go!
29th Jan 2024
The countdown is on to the Apprentice Vs Dragons’ Den 2023/24 final!
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#AZAwards2024 | Nominations now open!
12th Jan 2024
Our AZ Awards are back for 2024, and nominations are now open!
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Ending 2023 with 3 new engineering recruits
12th Dec 2023
We’re always looking to grow our engineering team and are really pleased to have welcomed 3 new instructors in the past few months. Meet them here.
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PETA excels at The News and Observer Series Apprenticeship Awards
6th Dec 2023
We were thrilled to take home 3 awards at the inaugural News and Observer Series Apprenticeship Awards at the evening ceremony celebrating all things apprenticeships.
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Meet our first cohort of Level 2 Finance Apprentices
28th Nov 2023
Read more about our first cohort of Finance Apprentices and find out how they’re getting on with their course so far.
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PETA holds Coffee Morning to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support
Georgia Stewart, Events Co-ordinator
29th Sep 2023
eventPETA staff pulled together to host their own World’s Biggest Coffee Morning on 26 September in aid of Macmillan, raising over £233 for this amazing cause!
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BTEC learners saving employers £100,000s with projects
15th Aug 2023
PETA BTEC learners have saved their employers £100,000s and hours of time with their projects, which they presented at our BTEC Project Day last week.
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Introduction to PETA Business Solutions
Nick Kalfas, Head of Finance
11th Aug 2023
business improvement, business improvement and quality managementStarting from 1st August 2023, we’ve introduced a strategic restructuring that reinforces our commitment to delivering quality corporate training and apprenticeships with our partners.
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International Women in Engineering Day 2023
23rd Jun 2023
Celebrated on June 23rd each year, INWED serves as a powerful platform to recognize the invaluable role that women play in shaping the world through innovation, creativity, and technical expertise.
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#AZAwards2023 | The Winners!
19th Jun 2023
After a fantastic night of celebration we are pleased to announce the full list of winners from this year's Apprentice and Employer of the Year Awards 2023.
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#AZAwards2023 | Our Gold Sponsors
25th May 2023
Showcasing our Gold Sponsors for this year’s Apprentice & Employer of the Year Awards.
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2023 Shortlist | #AZAwards2023
24th May 2023
With just 3 weeks to go until our Apprentice & Employer of the Year Awards 2023, we are pleased to announce the full shortlist of this year’s finalists.
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Complete your Forklift Training at PETA's Lift Truck Centre
13th Apr 2023
At PETA we are proud to offer lift truck and mechanical handling training to businesses in our private, indoor lift truck centre.
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Announcing our new Engineering Masterclasses
6th Apr 2023
We are very excited to be launching our brand-new engineering masterclasses, exclusively for our engineering apprentices.
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New course announcement - Manager to Leader
16th Mar 2023
We are delighted to announce the launch of our Mate to Manager follow-on course, Manager to Leader, which takes managers on the next steps to becoming influential and impactful leaders.
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PETA Apprentice wins GTA Apprentice of the Year!
21st Feb 2023
A former PETA ‘Rising Star’ award winner has now also been recognised by the national organisation for his inspiring story.
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Mayfield School crowned overall winners at Apprentice Vs Dragons Den 2022/23 final
16th Feb 2023
‘Team EP’ from Mayfield School were crowned the overall winners at the event, which celebrated the end of National Apprenticeship Week 2023.
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#NAW2023 | Case Studies 2
10th Feb 2023
Hear from Liz about her experience as an apprentice at Eaton Ltd, as well as employer Alitex about how their business has benefitted from taking on apprentices.
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#NAW2023 | Case Studies 1
9th Feb 2023
Hear from Apphia about her experience as an apprentice at Tillison Consulting, as well as employer Cheeky Rascals about how their business has benefitted from taking on apprentices.
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Apprentice Vs Dragons Den 2022/23 finalists announced!
8th Feb 2023
The 5 teams that have been shortlisted for the Apprentice Vs Dragons Den 2022/23 final have been announced.
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PETA apprentices reach GTA England Apprentice of the Year final
19th Jan 2023
2 PETA apprentices have been recognised for their outstanding work and are in for a chance of winning the national award.
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Employer Award nominations now open!
16th Jan 2023
event, personal development, professional skillsOur Apprentice and Employer of the Year Awards 2023 are taking place on Friday 16 June and self-nominations for the Employer Awards are now being invited.
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One month to go until Apprentice Vs Dragons' Den final!
9th Jan 2023
eventThe competing groups are currently working hard to finish their video projects, which will give their team a chance to secure a place in the final next month.
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PETA ends the year with a new cohort of employees!
Dawn Halfacre, Project Executive
2nd Jan 2023
human resourcesThe last quarter of 2022 was a busy recruitment period for PETA with nine new members of staff joining the company across a number of departments. Here we meet the new recruits and find out a little more about them…
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PETA founds Charity Focus Group
Dawn Halfacre, Project Executive
26th Dec 2022
eventAt PETA, we like to get involved and raise money for worthy causes, both in the local area and those further afield, in order to give a little something back to the community and to those who need our support.
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PETA announces new CEO
22nd Dec 2022
PETA is pleased to conclude a successful 2022 by announcing the arrival of our new CEO, Fiona Stilwell, and bidding a fond farewell to Huw Chapman, who is retiring as CEO after 5 years.
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Festive Greetings from PETA!
19th Dec 2022
As 2022 draws to a close, the PETA team is working hard to ensure that everything is completed before the well-deserved Christmas break. As we reflect on the events from the past year, we also look ahead to new and exciting challenges for 2023.
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Apprenticeships are a great way to recruit engineering talent…
Dawn Halfacre, Project Executive
12th Dec 2022
engineering, upskillingAt PETA, we’re recruiting now for our spring intake of engineering apprentices. An apprenticeship is the perfect way to recruit and train new staff or upskill your current employees; recruitment has never been tougher and skills shortages can impact business growth significantly.
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Date released for next NEBOSH Certificate in Environmental Management
Dawn Halfacre, Project Executive
5th Dec 2022
event, health and safety, neboshThe date has been set for the delivery of PETA’s next NEBOSH Certificate in Environmental Management, which will kick off on 22 March 2023.
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Get ready for our Apprentice and Employer of the Year Awards 2023!
Dawn Halfacre, Project Executive
28th Nov 2022
eventThe date has been set and the venue booked for our prestigious Apprentice and Employer of the Year Awards 2023 - Friday 16 June at the Portsmouth Guildhall! Nominations will be invited in the New Year so why not take some time now to consider the possibilities?
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Investing in new machinery for our engineering apprentices
Dawn Halfacre, Project Executive
14th Nov 2022
engineering, workshopWe’re pleased to announce that we’ve recently completed an investment in refurbishing our Engineering Centre machine workshop. The new facilities will ensure that our apprentices have access to the latest equipment to support the training employers need to build essential engineering skills in their businesses.
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PETA bids a fond farewell to valued colleagues on their retirement
Dawn Halfacre, Project Executive
8th Nov 2022
eventThe PETA team recently bid a fond farewell to two valued colleagues who have decided the time is right to embark on a very well deserved retirement!
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PETA’s Apprentice and Employer of the Year Awards - 16 June 2023
Dawn Halfacre, Project Executive
7th Nov 2022
event, personal development, professional skills, upskillingWe are thrilled to announce that our Apprentice and Employer of the Year Awards is set for Friday 16 June 2023, and our chosen venue for this prestigious celebration is the Portsmouth Guildhall.
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PETA hold World’s Biggest Coffee Morning to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Care
Dawn Halfacre, Project Executive
10th Oct 2022
eventPETA staff pulled together to host their own World’s Biggest Coffee Morning on 30 September in aid of Macmillan, raising over £335 for this amazing cause!
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Calling all schools: registration for the 22/23 Apprentice Vs Dragons’ Den programme now open!
Dawn Halfacre, Project Executive
19th Sep 2022
event, personal development, upskillingRegistration for the second Apprentice Vs Dragons’ Den programme is now open to all schools in the Solent area. The competition is open to teams of up to five Year 9 and 10 pupils and registration is open until 21 October 2022.
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PETA’s BTEC Project Day returns!
Dawn Halfacre, Project Executive
5th Sep 2022
engineering, event, technical skills, upskillingPETA has hosted the first face-to-face BTEC Project Day since the pandemic! The event, which was held on 18 August was a great success and its return was warmly welcomed after virtual events for the past two years.
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PETA and circle.cloud offer IT apprenticeship opportunities
Dawn Halfacre, Project Executive
29th Aug 2022
network infrastructure, technical skills, upskillingSouthampton-based cloud communications solution provider circle.cloud has been utilising PETA’s apprenticeship service since January 2020 and the partnership is working well.
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Menopause awareness training for employers
Dawn Halfacre, Project Executive
11th Jul 2022
hr and employment law, management and leadership, workshopWe’re hosting a Menopause Employer Awareness Workshop on Thursday 22 September to give managers and supervisors an insight into supporting their female staff through the menopause.
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SUMO workshop a great success!
Dawn Halfacre, Project Executive
4th Jul 2022
event, personal development, professional skills, upskillingWe recently welcomed Sunday Times best-selling author Paul McGee back to our PETA HQ to host a one-day workshop entitled ‘Learn to Shut Up and Move On’.
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Apprenticeship and Employer of the Year Award winners crowned!
Read more Dawn Halfacre, Project Executive
27th Jun 2022
event, personal development, professional skills, upskilling -
Apprenticeship and Employer of the Year Award finalists revealed!
Dawn Halfacre, Project Executive
20th Jun 2022
event, personal development, professional skills, upskillingWith just a few days to go until we celebrate our Apprenticeship and Employer of the Year Awards, we’re excited to reveal those who have been shortlisted for each category!
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New lift trucks arriving this week!
Dawn Halfacre, Project Executive
13th Jun 2022
lift truck, technical skillsOur two brand new lift trucks are arriving on-site this week! The Mitsubishi FB16ANT (Counterbalance) and the Mitsubishi RB14N2L (Reach) will be in operation for training delivery, ensuring we provide the best experience on up-to-date equipment.
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PETA receives superb response to annual apprenticeship and business awards
Dawn Halfacre, Project Executive
23rd May 2022
business improvement, event, professional skillsPETA, who are holding their annual Apprenticeship and Business Awards on 24 June at the Royal Maritime Club in Portsmouth, received over 80 submissions from applicants wishing to be considered for these prestigious accolades.
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PETA celebrates 95% apprenticeship completion rates
Dawn Halfacre, Project Executive
25th Apr 2022
upskillingDespite the national apprenticeship standard completion rates for 2020/21 being reported this month as just 53%, PETA is pleased to reveal that our own figures far exceed this level with a completion rate of over 95% for 20/21.
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Bud to become PETA’s new apprenticeship training platform
Dawn Halfacre, Project Executive
11th Apr 2022
upskillingPETA is pleased to announce that we are planning a migration to the Bud platform this summer. This system is versatile and easy to use and creates the ideal shared platform for trainers, learners and employers to collaborate and communicate effectively throughout their apprenticeship programmes.
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Check out the highlights of our Apprentice V Dragons’ Den event!
Dawn Halfacre, Project Executive
29th Mar 2022
event, personal development, upskillingWatch our Apprentice Vs Dragons’ Den video to discover the highlights of this exciting event. The evening, which took place on Friday 11 February was a resounding success, with a team from Horndean Technology College winning the top prize with their carbon footprint tracker app idea.
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Delivering the right solution for your business…
Dawn Halfacre, Project Executive
28th Mar 2022
business improvement, personal development, professional skills, upskillingAt PETA, we offer a range of courses, tailored training and apprenticeship programmes across a number of business disciplines, enabling us to provide the best and most appropriate learning solution for every business need.
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Nominations for PETA’s Apprentice of the Year Awards now open!
Dawn Halfacre, Project Executive
21st Mar 2022
event, upskillingPETA is holding their annual Apprentice of the Year Awards on 24 June at the Royal Maritime Club in Portsmouth and nominations are now open!
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Learn How to Shut Up and Move On (SUMO)
Dawn Halfacre, Project Executive
14th Mar 2022
personal development, professional skills, self improvementWe’ve all seen big changes in the workplace and the world over the last two years. For most of us it’s daunting trying to find ways to adapt to the new challenges we face in our day-to-day business, so some expert guidance would be welcome.
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Engineering apprentices to benefit from fantastic new facilities
Dawn Halfacre, Project Executive
7th Mar 2022
engineeringWe are continuing to invest in substantial equipment upgrades at our Engineering Centre in Havant to ensure our apprentices are able to learn using the latest technology, as well as giving them the greatest level of work readiness for when they complete their programme.
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PETA celebrates Apprentice Vs Dragons’ Den Programme success as the winning team is crowned!
Dawn Halfacre, Project Executive
28th Feb 2022
event, personal development, self improvementThe final of PETA’s Apprentice Vs Dragons’ Den Programme, which took place on Friday 11 February, was a resounding success, with a team from Horndean Technology College winning the top prize with their carbon footprint tracker app idea.
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Investing in lift truck training to maintain excellence
Dawn Halfacre, Project Executive
21st Feb 2022
lift truckAt PETA, we pride ourselves on our quality lift truck and mechanical handling training, and we’re well-known for it in the southern region. We’re pleased to announce that we’re now investing in two new vehicles to further enhance our offering.
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Discover our Health and Safety Breakfast Briefings…
Dawn Halfacre, Project Executive
14th Feb 2022
breakfast briefing, health and safetyWe host Safety, Health and Environmental Breakfast Briefings twice a year to update delegates on any topics and issues that are likely to impact health, safety, environmental policy and practice in the near future.
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Apprenticeships on rise post-pandemic
Dawn Halfacre, Project Executive
7th Feb 2022
business improvement, personal development, self improvementApprenticeship uptake figures are bouncing back to pre-pandemic levels, according to new Department for Education (DfE) statistics.
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School pupils to enter the Dragons’ Den
Dawn Halfacre, Project Executive
24th Jan 2022
personal development, self improvementPETA has invited entrepreneurial school pupils to enter the Dragons’ Den challenge next month, which will involve creating a new product to solve one of modern life’s challenges.
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National Apprenticeship Week Webinars
Dawn Halfacre, Project Executive
13th Jan 2022
business improvement, upskillingLet PETA, the Solent’s leading training provider, give you the answer to every question you’ve ever had about apprenticeships.
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PETA administrator raises money for cancer research
Dawn Halfacre, Project Executive
10th Jan 2022
personal developmentPETA health and safety administrator Sharon Jenkins completed the Pretty Muddy 5K charity event in Southsea in the autumn to raise money for Cancer Research after losing a friend to the disease a few years ago.
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Chimp Management follow-up course is well-received by delegates
Dawn Halfacre, Project Executive
13th Dec 2021
management and leadership, upskilling, workshopThis was once again led by our knowledgeable Chimp Management Mentor, Dean Coomer and proved to be a big hit with those who attended.
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