The Times’ Post

Apprenticeships over Uni???   A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to attend a CV workshop held at Arthur Mellows Village College for their year 13 students.   The students will finish school next summer and as part of their transition into further education or the workplace, they had started to put together their CV’s (all of which were very impressive!).   Alongside other local employers, I spent time with a handful of students, reviewing their CV’s and offering advice, from a potential employer’s perspective.   Out of the 6 students I met with, only 1 was considering University. The other 5 were very adamant on moving straight into the workplace, ideally through an apprenticeship scheme or via direct employment.   As a peak millennial and leaving school in 2007 (!!!!) I was quite surprised by this!   The options when I left school were very much/slightly forced - Uni. Or, a quick chat with the librarian (aka careers advisor) and off you went into the big wide world of work! There wasn’t much in between.   This new approach and mind set was refreshing to see.   The students have clearly been given more options and overall support. Apprenticeships are DEFINITELY becoming an increasingly popular choice amongst the younger generation and I think they would be even more popular if there were more schemes available and the pathways were made slightly clearer.     I’d be really keen to hear if any local employers have had positive experiences via apprenticeship schemes, have they worked well for your business? Were you able to attract and develop strong talent?   Would more employers be keen to employ apprentices if the pathways were clearer?   I personally think they’re a great option for a lot of students and could greatly benefit the individual as well as local employers.  

The Edge Foundation and Sheffield Hallam University have just (October 2024) published an interesting report considering the relationship between widening participation and degree apprenticeships, which have now been established for nearly a decade. The study concludes that degree apprenticeships (DAs) are becoming integral to higher education, but primarily function as employment-focused opportunities where employers lead recruitment and often choose existing employees for further training. Employers’ control limits universities' ability to target underrepresented groups, making participation goals for DAs challenging. DAs are prevalent in fields such as digital technology, engineering, and business, where new recruits often join directly. However, DAs in sectors like healthcare typically serve current employees, making youth outreach less effective. While DAs offer career growth for those who missed out on HE initially, they don’t align with traditional widening participation goals aimed at disadvantaged young people, as DAs often attract those who might have otherwise pursued a standard undergraduate degree. The report suggests that future policy may benefit from distinguishing between social mobility and WP to better reflect DAs’ unique impact.

It’s still Youth Apprenticeship week! A lot of times I get told by my friends “Honestly, I’m not really sure what you do for work?”. I never know how to respond to that statement. There’s so many layers to the work my team and I do and there’s no way to summarize it all without prompting more and more clarifying question. I am Career Launch Chicago’s Youth Apprenticeship Coordinator. To keep it short: I support a cohort of Youth Apprentices from the beginning through the end of their apprenticeship cycle. To make it long: - I speak with school admin and students to recruit for our pathways - I work with students to prepare them for their interviews with our employer partners - I support our summer preparatory program (Aim to Launch) - I check in with students throughout their apprenticeship to ensure everything is going as smoothly as possible (and to hold them accountable when needed) - I conduct site visits to our students places of work (and track their progress as they attain new skills) - I help lead our GPEAK curriculum (teach employability skills, brought to us by EdSystems) - I make connections and try my best to make sure they feel supported in their new roles while also completing their senior year of high school - And most importantly I celebrate in all their accomplishments with them! And trust me there are so many accomplishments! I am nearing the completion of my first year on the team and I like to say I *also* was a part of Career Launch Chicago’s second cohort. As much as students turned to me for guidance and support, I turned to my team for 5x the amount of support as I learned the work. Take a small look at everyone who has been there this past year and all the cool things our Youth apprentices and the team have gotten to experience. Some of our students are moving into four year institutions, some are moving into a second year of their apprenticeship, and some are even pursuing FULL TIME EMPLOYMENT with their employer!

The Labour Party have won the UK election. What does this mean for apprenticeships? The Labour Party has consistently championed the importance of skills training and quality education, and their latest policies promise a brighter future for apprentices and employers alike. Here’s what we can expect: 🔧 Increased Investment: Labour has pledged to boost funding for apprenticeship programs, ensuring more opportunities for young people and those seeking to upskill. 🏫 Quality Assurance: Emphasis will be placed on ensuring apprenticeships lead to high-quality, sustainable jobs, with rigorous standards to maintain the value of these programs. 🤝 Employer Incentives: Enhanced support for businesses, particularly SMEs, to take on apprentices. This includes financial incentives and streamlined processes to make apprenticeship schemes more attractive. 🌍 Inclusivity and Accessibility: Initiatives to make apprenticeships more accessible to people from diverse backgrounds, ensuring everyone has a fair chance to benefit from these opportunities. 📈 Higher-Level Apprenticeships: Expansion of advanced and degree-level apprenticeships, providing clear pathways for career progression and lifelong learning. This is a pivotal moment for the future of skills and employment in the UK. The focus on apprenticeships will not only help bridge the skills gap but also empower individuals to achieve their full potential and drive economic growth. Let’s stay tuned and be ready to seize the opportunities that lie ahead. Here’s to a new era of skills and success! 🚀 #LabourWin #Apprenticeships #SkillsTraining #UKPolitics #FutureOfWork #EducationReform

Become a Changemaker: Join the Apprenticeship Ambassador Network! The U.S. Department of Labor is calling all passionate advocates to join the Apprenticeship Ambassador Network! Are you ready to champion a proven pathway to success for workers, employers, and communities? As an Ambassador, you'll play a crucial role in: Spreading the word: Share the benefits of Registered Apprenticeships with everyone - industries, employers, career seekers, educators, and communities. Let's raise awareness and unlock potential! Boosting innovation: Help us identify and implement cutting-edge practices to modernize and strengthen apprenticeships. Together, let's make them even better! Building bridges: We want everyone to have access to this powerful career path. Help us reach underrepresented groups like women, youth, people of color, rural communities, and more. Making the business case: Show employers how apprenticeships can benefit their bottom line and create good jobs for all Americans. Let's build a stronger economy together! Are you ready to make a difference? Join the Apprenticeship Ambassador Network today! Visit [https://lnkd.in/gUJD-RTc to learn more and apply.

One thing I’d really like to see from the Labour government is more incentives for companies to offer apprenticeship schemes. I’m a big advocate for apprenticeships having started my career as an apprentice myself. They teach real world skills (more than just book knowledge) in a real business, and in my opinion, are a better environment for neurodivergent people to learn in. Apprentices can start making a net contribution to the economy much sooner than their peers going through the higher education route. Apprenticeships can be hard to come by however. When I was looking for one, there were hundreds of applicants for each. Increased incentives for companies could make this a more viable path for students. University doesn’t need to be a barrier to getting a job in STEM so let’s stop making it one.

The Edge Foundation and Sheffield Hallam University have just published an interesting report considering the relationship between widening participation and degree apprenticeships, which have now been established for nearly a decade. The study concludes that degree apprenticeships (DAs) are becoming integral to higher education, but primarily function as employment-focused opportunities where employers lead recruitment and often choose existing employees for further training. Employers’ control limits universities' ability to target underrepresented groups, making participation goals for DAs challenging. DAs are prevalent in fields such as digital technology, engineering, and business, where new recruits often join directly. However, DAs in sectors like healthcare typically serve current employees, making youth outreach less effective. While DAs offer career growth for those who missed out on HE initially, they don’t align with traditional widening participation goals aimed at disadvantaged young people, as DAs often attract those who might have otherwise pursued a standard undergraduate degree. The report suggests that future policy may benefit from distinguishing between social mobility and WP to better reflect DAs’ unique impact.

ICYMI: Why an apprenticeships reset will unlock a wealth of new opportunities: With the new school year well under way, many young people are not only preparing for their exams but considering what comes next. University is… Why an apprenticeships reset will unlock a wealth of new opportunities was published on FE News by BAE Read more here:

“Learn continually. There’s always ‘one more thing’ to learn!”- Steve Jobs   Today marks the first day of National Apprenticeship Week, which is aimed at connecting schools, colleges and students to the UK’s top Apprenticeship Employers.    Apprenticeships offer a brilliant work-based qualification route, combining academic study with on-the-job training. And candidates no longer have to chose between university and an apprenticeship, as apprenticeships can now lead to a degree qualification.     Even better, employers cover the costs, reducing the debt burden experienced by full-time students. This might be why there have been 3,218,990 apprenticeship starts since May 2015.    If you’re an employer looking to offer apprenticeship schemes, we can help you with strategies for employee engagement, both for your new apprentices and existing staff members.    Give us a call on 07812 343310 or email us at hello@enthuse-comms.co.uk and we’ll help you get the most out of your new and existing workforce! #SteveJobs #NationalApprenticeshipWeek

What do we do with and for young people to offer them the chance to develop skills and knowledge - and a job? This article on apprenticeships puts it in a historical and contemporay context and raises lots of interesting and challenging questions. For me, a big question is the value of having so many young people doing a 3 year degree to end up doing work that in the past did not require a degree. How could you leave school at the end of 6th or 7th form ( years 12 &13) and enter the workforce in jobs that now somehow seem to require an ( often unrelated) degree? On the job training coupled with a different high school knowledge base was how it used to be. How many graduate entry jobs could actually follow such a model today? Similarly, what if tertiary education required a more intensive, smaller classroom, academic apprenticeship model? What would our 3 year degrees look like? Would they need to be longer than 3 years? Why do we believe so many people require a degree that is often poorly attended, barely literate, lacking intellectual curiosity and with low age reading levels and comprehension? Do we really need all these massive degree factories? But if they were not at universities for 3 or more years, what would all these young people be doing...?