Meet Dawn Longmore, Assistant Principal of Apprenticeships at Middlesbrough College.
Dawn joined the apprenticeships division of Middlesbrough College, when it was part of the North East Chamber of Commerce (NECC), almost 25 years ago and has progressed from Tutor Assessor to Assistant Principal.
“My career started when I became a Dental Nurse and then a Practice Manager for two busy NHS practices. I line-managed my own apprentices during this time and developed a good working relationship with the apprenticeship provider, the North East Chamber of Commerce.
“I was very involved in training the apprentices within the workplace, and I was given the opportunity to move into teaching with NECC. I started teaching evening classes and then progressed into education.”
Dawn has journeyed through her career at NECC, which later became Northern Skills and then MC Apprenticeships and Training, progressing from Assistant Manager to Associate Director, and now Assistant Principal, a role focused on the delivery of apprenticeships.
“My responsibilities now include managing quality and compliance, overseeing budgets and teams, and driving achievement. I also work closely with employers across the North East, supporting them to develop and grow their businesses.
“We deliver apprenticeships across a range of industries, including engineering, construction health and care, business and professional services, education, digital, service industries and dental nursing.”
When asked what first drew her to working in apprenticeships, Dawn reflected on her own post-16 learning.
“I didn’t enjoy school when I was younger, and I thrived once I left and could get involved in more hands-on work. That’s what makes apprenticeships such a fantastic study route, and the programmes have grown so much over the years across different industries.
“In previous years, businesses relied heavily on university students and graduates, and the hands-on, earn-as-you-learn model went out of fashion, but it’s coming back.
“University isn’t the only way to gain the skills and knowledge needed to build a successful career.
“We’ve got a significant skills shortage in the UK, especially in the North East and Teesside, and apprenticeships are an excellent route to support the region’s growing workforce.”
Within her role, Dawn also oversees the success of apprentices and the businesses they work for.
“One aspect of my job that I enjoy most is watching people progress in their careers. They might start at Level 2 and work their way up within one company. We get the chance to see them gain promotions, and it’s lovely to watch them succeed.
“One of my passions is helping people realise that their starting point doesn’t define their future. An apprenticeship can be the beginning of a journey where they can develop their skills, build their confidence and achieve everything they set out to do.
“Apprenticeships are a great stepping stone for progression.
“I really enjoy working with businesses. As a team, we’ve partnered with a wide range of companies, so we stay in touch to understand changing skills needs, explore how we can support them, and match emerging talent with strong employment opportunities.”
Over the years, MC Apprenticeships and Training has gone from strength to strength.
“I’m so proud to see how much we have achieved. Not only has our apprenticeship provision been graded Outstanding by Ofsted, but we are also among the top 10 General Further Education (GFE) colleges nationally for apprenticeship delivery. The fact that our achievement rates are significantly above the national average demonstrates how invested we are in our learners.
“Our dental programme has also grown significantly, and we are now one of the largest face-to-face providers of dental nursing in the country, a feat I’m particularly proud of, as it’s where my career started.”
For employers looking to develop their workforce, Dawn’s advice is simple:
“Be patient and invest in apprentices. You are giving them opportunities to grow within your company, and you can pass on your knowledge and experience to help develop their skills.”
