Are Apprenticeships the Answer?
Tom Rogers
Early Careers Practitioner @ BAE Systems | Championing Apprenticeships | Building FindATrainingProvider
Last week, I strayed away from my mission slightly to shine the spotlight on T-Levels for a change, hopefully sparking some conversation within organisations who haven't yet implemented them.
This week I want to bring Apprenticeships back into focus.
If you are a business who has been approached by a provider or who is looking inwardly at apprenticeships, you are probably concerned about whether they are the answer to your issues.
Do they represent an additional time burden you cannot afford as an SME?
Do you simply just not know how they work?
Or, are you not sure there is a right apprentice for you?
As an SME, it is incredibly intimidating if you don't know someone who is able to hold your hand and you might not be aware of all the support structures in place to not only support you but help you flourish.
To answer the question, Yes, apprenticeships are the answer.
I am definitely biased.
However, I see work based on-the-job practical learning as the Gold Standard pathway for the majority of professions.
Taking your education and implementing it with context immediately is powerful and will reinforce that learning. I dread to think how many people leave University having forgot most of what they learnt in first and second year. I certainly didn't hang on to much!
As an SME, you get to shape the career of someone, and mould them into the person you require in your business. This is especially helpful in niche industries that need particular skills sets, which you establish alongside their training.
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Hopefully, you will be hiring an individual hungry to learn, hungry to achieve and become skilled. If you are able to support them properly from day 1, I am certain this will be repaid in spades through loyalty, progression and overall being a skilled colleague.
If you are looking for some content to help you learn more about apprenticeships and how to get involved then see below:
🎧 Podcasts
📺Videos
📰Reading
Hopefully, you will find these useful.
RGN
6moWell said! My son has been and is still attending Cheshire College South & West in Crewe, doing T-levels in Information Technology for the 3rd and final year now. He hasn't been sent for that 45 day apprenticeship as promised. Now our dilemma is finding a place to do the apprenticeship. I've tried talking him into going to study nursing in Poland but he loves computers. He's passionate with Web development and Cyber Security and he's good at it. He's due to finish college end of June 2024. We don't know what to do now. University is still so expensive for me to pay it with my single income because I'm a nurse on a sponsorship visa for the past 3 years and 1month. If anyone can help channel this 21 year old lad so he can be productive in the field of IT ,we'll greatly appreciate your support. Thank you.
We're fully behind apprenticeships! They offer a flexible learning approach, catering to various learning styles and needs, which is especially beneficial for neurodivergent individuals. By embracing apprenticeship programmes, employers can enjoy the advantages of a more inclusive and innovative workforce while also contributing to positive social change. 🙌
Schools liaison and Apprentice Recruitment ( Elevated Knowledge since March 2023) formerly SETA
7moDitto Tom. and I,ll try to avoid spelling mistakes. However Training providers like us have to graft and pedal hard to get the message out. ...and no it can be very hard and more to get employers to commit to recruit and its a challenge and concern each year despite our many many and more years of working with them. The levy hasnt been anything like the magic bullet to stimulate employer growth even in our sector Engineering/ Manufacturing.However there is a real diversity of employer type . We do have the" luxury" of being in a large conurbation. Still have to work very hard to get young people. Percentage per year cohort is still shockingly low.
Early Careers Practitioner @ BAE Systems | Championing Apprenticeships | Building FindATrainingProvider
7moSome of the links: FE News Amazing Apprenticeships Catch22
Early Careers Practitioner @ BAE Systems | Championing Apprenticeships | Building FindATrainingProvider
7moElliot Hall wins the award for spotting the spelling mistake in the title 😅