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New Blog Post (No. 16): A Modern Day Apprenticeship System (Part 1 of 2) As I work through the second book of my Succession Planning series for Professional Service owners, it occurred to me that the training and development of younger professionals today shares some key characteristics with traditional apprenticeship models. One of the key themes in both books is to build on the foundations of knowledge, work and experience from a prior generation. How does one generation best transfer a career of knowledge, skills, and experience to the next generation? We grew up learning about apprenticeships in grade school, and how such guided learning impacted our lives many generations later in one way or another. Benjamin Franklin, as you might recall, started as a printer's apprentice with his older brother, which laid the foundation for his career in publishing and his many other accomplishments. Paul Revere apprenticed as a silversmith, a trade that provided him with valuable skills and a network of contacts that would later prove crucial during the American Revolution. And George Washington apprenticed as a surveyor, learning land measurement, mapmaking, and other skills that served him well throughout his life, particularly in his military career. Historically, most apprenticeships were tied to a trade or a craft. Traditionally, after completing an apprenticeship, a young person had several options: * The most common path was to become a journeyman which means that, effectively, they earned a wage working for someone else honing their craft over the course of their career. * Some apprentices, after accumulating enough savings and experience, would set up their own shop, becoming independent craftsmen or artisans. * In fewer, even rarer cases, apprentices could succeed their master (a term used in historical context and respectfully so), and potentially become a partner or even inherit or acquire the business. Succinctly, apprenticeships of old were a method to source and train younger talent, and possibly to retain that talent. (I acknowledge that, depending on the time period, geographic location, and trade, apprenticeships of generations past could be brutal by today’s standards. In the past 100 years or so, federal regulations here in the U.S. have changed this landscape and, today, apprenticeships are actually increasing in number and expanding into white collar professions such as health care and information technology.) While traditional apprenticeship models may have originated in the trades, the core principles of structured learning, mentorship, coaching, and on-the-job training to develop practical, transferable skills are being effectively adapted by professional service owners today. And in fact, the options and preferred, common pathways taken by next generation professional service providers upon completing their training or on-the-job learning, really haven’t changed a lot in 250 years! (Continued in Part 2...)

Our thoughts on yesterday's announcements from the Government on #apprenticeships

🎉 FREE TO ATTEND: Keele University Apprenticeship and Skills Panel Breakfast Event! 🎉 📅 Date: Tuesday, 11th February ⏰ Time: 8:30 AM - 11:00 AM 📍 Location: Keele University If your business engages with apprenticeships as part of your workforce development plan or you'd like to find out more, make sure to mark this date in your diary! Key Topics: 🔸 Mythbusting Apprenticeships 🔸 Strategies to engage effectively with apprenticeship programs 🔸 Future of Apprenticeships, updating on Skills Policy Reform and Funding 🔸 Examples of Success 🔸 Practical advice for starting apprenticeship programs. 🔸 Ensuring Success 🔸 Lessons from 2017 Reforms 🔸 Impact of Apprenticeships Join our Panel Discussion to: ⭐ Discover how award-winning Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce are supporting businesses to access skills to develop the workforce. Rachel Laver, Chief Executive Officer of Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce, will share how businesses can leverage available resources to enhance their skills pipeline. ⭐ Explore how the largest employer in Stoke-on-Trent University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust successfully manages its Apprenticeship programme. Craig Wallace, Associate Director of Learning and Education will provide insights on effective apprenticeship management and its positive impact on their large workforce. ⭐ Learn from local accountancy group DJH about why they were voted the Number 1 SME Apprenticeship Employer in England. Chris Rawlinson, Head of Learning and Development at DJH, will explain the strategies behind their top-ranking recognition and the benefits their apprenticeship program brings to the business. ⭐ Hear from Newcastle Stafford Colleges Group (NSCG) about what it takes to be 'Outstanding'. Jane Tunnicliff, Director of Apprenticeships at Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group, will discuss the key factors that contribute to their Ofsted Outstanding rating and how businesses can collaborate with educational institutions to achieve excellence. ⭐ Discover why Keele University is experiencing remarkable growth in apprenticeship-based learning. Lou Taylor-Murison, Head of Apprenticeships and Partnership-based Learning, will share how the university's rapidly expanding portfolio is tailored to meet the evolving skills demands of local, regional and national employers. Enjoy free parking and a complimentary breakfast while networking with industry leaders and peers. 🚀 Don't miss out—register now! https://lnkd.in/eq_9qK8y Looking forward to seeing you there! Lauren Cookson, Lesley Tyler-Roberts, Nanita Tilsley, Mark Sharman, Ayshe Birchall, Claire Butters, Samantha Mottram, Kelly Jeffery, Huw Morgan, Rosi Monkman, Kathy England, Emma Bonfiglio, Joseph Clarke, Ann Pittard #NAW2025 #Apprenticeships #WorkforceDevelopment #BusinessGrowth #StokeOnTrent #KeeleUniversity #Staffordshire

"Apprentices today just have to harden up". For those who say, "back in my day..." and go on to talk about all the things that happened to them that "hardened them up" - and that young people today have to just "suck it up"... ... how do you justify an apprentice being told they: - have to work without protection with asbestos or, - are to be loaded into a ute's toolbox and confined whilst the vehicle is driven - will work for days or even weeks on end without being paid - will be working as a fresh first-year electrotechnology apprentice on their own - as a first-year apprentice will be on call over the weekend so they can visit client's premises alone for repair work. Equally, how can there ever be a place whatsoever for discrimination, abuse or harassment? Similar concerns are outlined in the new Victorian Apprenticeship Taskforce Report. It's worth a read: https://lnkd.in/g2gYcBEf I think the report is commendable. Perhaps Victoria can be a leader in apprenticeship reform, not just in Australia but worldwide. Let's not kid ourselves, it's a hefty task. But the results are surely worth it; a far more productive and skilled workforce.

Social Value: Making apprenticeships a contractual requirement How many apprenticeship weeks per £1m is enough to replace an ageing workforce? The report suggests that public procurement can do more to train future generations. A new SCAPE report indicates that if all regions achieved the same level of delivery as Wales and the West Midlands, an additional 13,810 apprenticeship weeks could have been created – an 88% increase. This would result in roughly 288 extra apprenticeships nationally making significant strides towards supporting the next generation of skilled workers. Leading the way with an average of 10 weeks delivered per £1m is the West Midlands, where SCAPE has several live projects on site. This is closely followed by almost nine weeks in Wales, where clients procure in accordance with the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 and where the national apprenticeship employment scheme Y-Prentis is in operation. Meanwhile London, despite representing the highest contract value of those analysed, lagged behind at just 4.5 weeks per £1m.

Golden Training Services welcome the Government announcements yesterday to reform the #apprenticeshiplevy and the refocus on #apprenticeships towards younger learners, including new #foundation apprenticeships and in some cases shorter apprenticeships. We also hope that #SkillsEngland give priority to urgent upskilling needed in sectors like #adultcare

I am happy to see my good friend Hermann Nehls still engaging with the Wisconsin Apprenticeship System. Our trip to Germany with Hermann in 2020 was so eye opening as a brand new State Director at the time and I see that those things we learned while there are continuing to be massaged out and implemented in Wisconsin in this write-up. With German Apprenticeship being a gold standard in the world, it was interesting to learn during that trip how Wisconsin Apprenticeship did things different than Germany and many of those things were what raised the bar for apprenticeship in the states. When I returned from the trip in 2020, I was energized knowing I was leading one of the premier apprenticeship systems (youth apprenticeship and registered apprenticeship) in the country but realizing that there was opportunity to be even better with very small tweaks; an apprenticeship system grounded by the illustrious Karen Morgan who operated as the Director for nearly 30 years. The German model is solid and strong, with true engagement in the system by all as a way to make their community better and that is something we still haven’t been able to achieve here in the American Apprenticeship system. It is one of the biggest things the system should focus on because it has the ability to change lives and drive growth in the American workforce. Imagine how powerful a national system would be when people aren’t afraid of engaging because they would be looked at as “less than” since they didn’t go to college? Hats off and wishing nothing but success to Wisconsin Apprenticeship as they continue to build on that strong foundation we’ve created. #apprenticeshipworks #apprenticeshipisforeveryone

WASHINGTON – The Department of Labor today announced that the nation will celebrate the benefits of Registered Apprenticeships and the opportunities they create for youth and young adults with 320 special events and more than 70 proclamations scheduled across the U.S. to mark the first annual Youth Apprenticeship Week from May 5-11. Built on the success of National Apprenticeship Week, Youth Apprenticeship Week will give employers, unions, educators, state agencies, workforce partners, community-based organizations and other Registered Apprenticeship sponsors the opportunity to showcase their programs and successes in youth apprenticeships. The annual commemoration also offers youth apprentices a platform on which they can share their apprenticeship experiences and educate the public about the benefits of local youth apprenticeship programs.“Youth Apprenticeship Week recognizes the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to create employment opportunities for young adults and the critical role they play in our nation’s workforce infrastructure,” said Acting Secretary Julie Su. “Youth apprenticeships are not just pathways to careers, they are bridges to futures filled with promise, opportunity and endless potential.” During Youth Apprenticeship Week, Apprenticeship Trailblazers will gather May 6 at the department’s Washington headquarters for a kickoff event, and the department’s Employment and Training Administration will welcome new youth apprentices for a signing event. At the event, more than 40 youth and young adults will join Registered Apprenticeship programs at several government agencies in the district, including the nation’s first Historically Black Colleges and Universities public service apprenticeship program. These apprentices will represent industries central to the “Investing in America” agenda such as construction, advanced manufacturing, clean energy, education, cybersecurity and healthcare. Throughout the week, Acting Secretary Su and Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training José Javier Rodríguez will discuss the importance of various youth apprenticeship models across the country. These models are providing opportunities for young adults to develop in-demand skills in diverse industry sectors such as the public sector through the Federal Youth Apprentice Pathway Program. The program seeks to establish a model to help federal agencies partner with Registered Apprenticeship Intermediaries to create high-quality career pathways to good jobs. Since 2021, the Biden-Harris administration has expanded Registered Apprenticeships with more than 7,100 new programs, 12,000 new employer partners and more than 1.4 million apprentices hired, including more than 541,000 youth apprentices from 16 to 24. Learn more about Youth Apprenticeship Week 2024 and how to participate. 

It’s been a month of talking about skills in the housing industry. We simply don’t have enough hands to build the homes we need. While HIA welcomed the Governments $10,000 apprentice incentive, Group Training Organisations (GTOs) are a key piece of the skills puzzle that were left out of this announcement. There is clear evidence that completion rates for apprentices engaged through GTO’s are much better when compared to those apprentices who are directly employed. The recent review of the Australian Apprenticeship Incentive System agreed. What do you think? Have you taken on an apprenticeship through a GTO? Or are you an employer who wants to directly indenture an apprentice, but the cost and red tape is just too much?!