Note that the training centre is closed on Good Friday 30th March and Easter Monday 2nd. Site Carpentry, Bench Joinery & Maintenance Operations Apprentices are also off on 3rd April but are in on the 9th and 10th as normal. Bricklaying and Groundworks Apprentices should attend as normal on Tues 3rd / Mon 9th & Tues 10th. All other students are off for the holidays. Normal timetable resumes week-beginning Monday 16th April.

Unfortunately we have made the decision to cancel today’s Open Morning due to weather. Safety of staff and visitors is paramount.

Please check our events and calendar page for details on future events and remember we can make appointments for anyone to come and visit us Monday to Friday, just give us a call 01865 370040.

Wrap up warm and enjoy the rugby!

Below are holiday dates affecting students as described. ACE will be open at all other times, Monday to Friday, throughout the year, excluding Public Holidays.

As National Apprenticeship Week comes to a close, it’s a great time to reflect on how we have successfully grown our Apprenticeship numbers while recognising the continued challenge in tackling our industry’s skills shortages.

This week the CITB reported record numbers of construction apprentices nationally – https://www.citb.co.uk/news-events/uk/2018/construction-apprenticeship-starts-reaches-record-high/

We’re proud also of the fact that we are not compromising quality while we grow. Our training has a high achievement rate for students, with apprentices regularly winning awards for their high levels of skill. Indeed one of our apprentices will be picking up another award at tonight’s Freemen of Oxford awards!

Managing Director Adam Marsh comments:

“We are delighted that record numbers of employers and students are choosing to use our services ahead of alternative options. The news from the CITB is also welcome but it is important to recognise that there is much more needed to do in order to solve the major skills shortages in our industry. It has been a demanding year with apprenticeship reforms and the spectre of Brexit, and we need the message to be loud and clear that we need further and sustained investment in apprenticeships from the industry. We also need government to ensure that the current reform programme serves as an incentive for employers, rather than a barrier. We also need the process of introducing Apprenticeship ‘Standards’ for our industry to be prioritised, to remove uncertainty around our long-term training offer”

We can start apprentices training with us at any time during the year, we do not run fixed entry points. We run monthly Saturday Open Mornings and can make appointments at other times to suit individuals and employers. If you think we can help, get in touch 01865 370040 or [email protected]

As part of National Careers Week, we were delighted to take part in a Construction careers fair at Banbury Space Studio alongside a number of other construction professionals and organisations, meeting students to talk about the industry.

Dean helped students to make their very own tea light holder, which we believe will be a very popular Mother’s Day present in the Banbury area this weekend – we’re happy to have helped!

Great start to National Apprenticeship Week this morning with Lyndsey being part of a visit to the A2Dominion Group site at Elmsbrook in Bicester by Victoria Prentis MP. Two of our Apprentices – Ricardo and Connor – are working on that site with Hill Group UK as part of a shared apprenticeship scheme offered by The Apprenticeship & Training Company Ltd.

Lyndsey got the opportunity to tell Mrs Prentis about the need for more apprenticeship opportunities to be made available in our industry. It was great to see progress on site and also meet Barry Wood, Leader at Cherwell District Council, who are committed to supporting delivery of Apprenticeship opportunities on developments in the district.