Worcestershire Apprenticeships’ very own penguin in the great Waddle of Worcester has found a home with local training provider GLP Training
In the summer of 2024, St Richard’s Hospice delivered the great Waddle of Worcester, a penguin-themed art trail around the city. The Worcestershire Apprenticeships programme was one of the sculpture sponsors for great Waddle of Worcester with their penguin, ‘Kingsley’.
Kingsley was beautifully painted by artist Amy Bourbon. Kingsley, was created whilst the artist was playing with forms, shapes and structures to see how she could enhance the curves of the penguin whilst disrupting the static nature of the sculpture.
As part of the great Waddle of Worcester, the Worcestershire Apprenticeships team arranged a series of ‘waddles’ with current and former apprentices, higher, further and independent training providers and local employers, with the aim to showcase the local support around apprenticeships whilst also supporting the great Waddle of Worcester.
Worcestershire Apprenticeships is a programme delivered by the Worcestershire County Council and Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and acts as an impartial brand to give apprenticeships the prevalence they need in the education landscape. The team work with all of the county’s further and higher education and independent training providers to promote and celebrate apprenticeships, with the ultimate goal of growing the number of apprentices in the county.
After the great Waddle came to an end, the penguin sculptures were auctioned off to help raise money for St Richard’s Hospice. With more than 200 guests, the auction sponsored by Hawksmoor Investment Management and hosted by DRPG in their Hartlebury studio complex, was a huge success.
The auction of 41 penguin sculptures resulted in £330,000 being raised for St Richard’s Hospice. At the auction, Kingsley, the Worcestershire Apprenticeships penguin, was bought by local independent training provider, GLP Training.
GLP Training, are a nationally recognised, Ofsted Grade 2 “Good” apprenticeship training provider, based in Worcestershire that has transformed the career paths of countless individuals across the UK and beyond. They specialise in four core pathways, construction and trades, facilities management, leadership & sustainability and professional services. Each of these pathways include a diverse range of training options from apprenticeships to Skills Bootcamps and also Higher Technical Qualifications.
Francesca Gibbs, Project Manager for Worcestershire Apprenticeships at Worcestershire County Council, said: “Worcestershire Apprenticeships was proud to take part in the great Waddle of Worcester in support of St Richard’s Hospice. Throughout the summer, alongside the Waddle, we worked to raise awareness of apprenticeships, encouraging individuals to explore them – whether they’re starting their career, looking to upskill, or considering a career change.
“Being able to do this while also supporting such a fantastic local cause has been incredibly rewarding. Seeing our very own penguin, Kingsley, now residing with one of Worcestershire’s training providers is fantastic. As we celebrate National Apprenticeship Week, it serves as a great reminder for everyone to consider the opportunities that apprenticeships can offer.”
Gemma Parsons, CEO at GLP Training, said: “When the opportunity arose to support the incredible work of St Richard’s Hospice while also giving Kingsley a new home, it was an easy decision for us. Kingsley now proudly resides on the third floor of our new city centre training facility, bringing a smile to both staff and students every day. As a Worcestershire-based training provider, we’re thrilled to keep Kingsley within the local community and continue celebrating the vital role apprenticeships play in shaping careers.”
If you would like to find out more about GLP Training, visit their website – https://www.glptraining.co.uk/
To learn more about apprenticeships and the available apprenticeships in Worcestershire, contact the Worcestershire Apprenticeships team via the details below.
Website – www.worcsapprenticeships.org.uk
Phone – 0330 666 3 666
Email – [email protected]
