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Microsoft vows to create 30,000 UK apprenticeships

Vendor declares post-Brexit commitment to UK – and pledges to triple the rate of apprenticeships it is creating with partners – as it hosts chancellor Phillip Hammond at its Reading HQ

Microsoft will today pledge to create another 30,000 UK digital apprenticeship roles in the UK as part of a new national skills programme.

The new scheme, which is being unveiled at an event with the chancellor Phillip Hammond at Microsoft’s UK headquarters in Reading today, is designed to “boost digital skills and ensure the UK remains at the forefront of the global cloud-enable economy”.

Microsoft will commit to training, for free, 30,000 UK public servants in the delivery of digital services to citizens as part of the programme.

It will also pledge to create 30,000 new digital apprenticeship roles through the Microsoft programme, also by 2020.

Microsoft has to date worked with its 25,000 UK partners to deliver 11,000 digital apprenticeships, well above an original target of 4,000 set in 2012. The new 30,000 figure would represent a tripling of the current run rate, Microsoft said, adding that it aims to ensure higher proportions of women and minority groups are supported with the scheme.

In addition, the US-based software titan will today set out plans to train 500,000 people in the UK to be cloud technology experts through its Cloud Skills Initiative.

Microsoft’s former UK CEO Michel Van der Bel said in a letter to staff on the eve of last May’s Brexit vote that the “UK remaining in the EU supports important criteria for continued and future investment by Microsoft and others”.

However, in a statement accompanying today’s event, Microsoft’s current CEO Cindy Rose underlined the firm’s commitment to the UK.

“In the wake of the EU referendum vote, the UK is looking at charting a new and different path to its future and Microsoft is committed, as it has been for more than 30 years, to helping the UK realise its full potential,” she said.

“We believe that maintaining the UK’s global competitiveness relies on a successful transition to a cloud-enabled economy. At Microsoft, we aim to do our part by investing back into the UK digital economy to ensure people of all ages and backgrounds are equipped with the skills necessary to thrive into the future.”

Hammond stated: “This is further evidence that Britain is one of the best places in the world to do digital business. Microsoft’s commitment to training, technology and apprenticeships will ensure that we remain at the cutting edge of innovation.

“Our technology industry is fundamental to securing future economic growth and this government is committed to ensuring it continues to thrive. It’s a key part of our Industrial Strategy to back Britain for the long term, creating the conditions where business can flourish, driving growth for the whole nation.”

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Scottish home builders ‘face double apprenticeship levy’

Nicola Barclay

Industry body Homes for Scotland (HFS) has warned that the country’s home builders face the prospect of paying a double levy to support apprenticeship training unless funds are ring-fenced to support the sector.

The issue has arisen as the Scottish Government sets out its response to the UK government Apprenticeship Levy and how it plans “to develop a distinctly Scottish approach to apprenticeships and wider skills development”.

The Apprenticeship Levy will operate UK-wide, with all employers paying 0.5% of their annual pay bill in excess of £3m through the PAYE system.  In 2017-18 the Scottish Government will receive £221m in Levy funding, with this expected to increase to £239m by 2019-20.

Nicola Barclay, HFS chief executive, said the move could further hamper attempts to increase the supply of much needed new housing given ongoing skills shortages affecting the sector.

Ms Barclay said: “We back many of the Scottish Government’s proposals, in particular those which relate to Modern Apprenticeships including increased support for graduate level and foundation apprenticeships as well as the establishment of a Flexible Workforce Development Fund.

“However, already affected by significant skill shortages across all areas, including trades and professions, home builders face the prospect of paying a double levy given existing arrangements with the Construction Industry Training Board on training, qualifications and apprenticeships.

“We are therefore extremely disappointed that the Scottish Government has chosen not to address this matter in the form of direct support for our industry by channelling funds back, ignoring the concerns raised by HFS and other stakeholders.

“It is also surprising that the Scottish Government does not view home building as a priority sector for skills support, given the current housing crisis and the ambitious target for delivering 50,000 new affordable homes by the end of this parliament.

“HFS would advocate that the Levy funds be ring-fenced to support the sector, with access made simple, business-led and driven by the shared objectives that support the delivery of the Scottish Government’s key priorities of supporting economic growth and strengthening productivity.”

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Institute for Apprenticeships – A Time to be Bold

David Way. FE News

Responsibilities for integrity, quality and funding give the new Institute for Apprenticeships a potentially vital and lasting role in the national skills infrastructure but only if its role is fully formed and it has the space to both support and constructively challenge the progress that the reforms are making.

The introduction of the levy sees a fundamental shift in the balance of funding away from the public purse and firmly towards employers. The Institute is therefore a very welcome further manifestation of employer ownership and leadership. It needs to do the job that businesses need while ensuring it secures the support and confidence of three million more (mostly) young people whose lives will be shaped by their Apprenticeship experiences.

While it has taken a long time for the detail of the new Institute for Apprenticeships to be revealed, at least in draft form, there are reasons to believe that this body can make a difference if responses to the consultation pick up on the big opportunities that are presented.

We will also be in a better place to judge its potential once we see the detail of the Secretary of State’s first strategic guidance and her priorities for the first year. An example of this will be how far the Institute is encouraged to set funding rates that support the new Industry Strategy and individual sector strategies.

Helping close critical skills gaps must be an essential success criterion for everyone involved in the new skills infrastructure. The Institute needs to be proactive itself and as well as being a key partner in a collective approach, both designing and helping incentivise the skills business and the economy needs.

It is also good to see reference to Apprenticeships supporting social mobility, not least because it will open more people’s eyes to their potential contribution. The Institute could show important leadership in this area. However, the final strategic guidance will need to give social mobility more prominence than it receives in the consultation document if it is to be at the heart of the Institute’s work.

The consultation document also asks the Institute to report on how well the system as a whole is delivering successful Apprenticeships. This is absolutely vital if the Institute is to help drive the reforms in a meaningful way. It is an opportunity to help

Government with the question justifiably posed by the NAO, PAC and others about success and start to set demanding goals for Apprenticeships and quality.

If the Institute is encouraged to look independently and objectively at the state of the Apprenticeship system overall, we could get a meaningful annual report and debate on how well the skills partners collectively are tackling Apprenticeship-critical issues.

These issues would extend well beyond starts and completions and examine key issues such as what happens to apprentices after they have completed their Apprenticeships; ensuring ladders of progression to Apprenticeships supported by Higher Education are in place; ensuring better access to Information, Advice and Guidance; reviewing progress in improving vocational teaching; tackling skills shortages; and the participation and progress of under-represented groups.

The Institute could provide transparency, analysis, rigour and honesty to support an annual state of Apprenticeships debate in which all partners and delivery organisations constructively address progress and improvements. The logical next stage of employer leadership is for the Institute to initiate and coordinate this debate and use its influence and powers to drive changes in partnership with Government.

It is good to see the Institute given leadership responsibilities in respect of quality issues amidst many other organisations with statutory responsibilities in this area. When I was the CEO of NAS, our so-called ‘end-to-end’ responsibilities for Apprenticeships depended on much goodwill from partners. It is therefore helpful to start with a clearer exposition of Government expectations for collaboration in a critical area.

The power to require the SFA to investigate issues is also an important clarification. Some of these investigations should be thematic as well as looking at individual cases of possible quality abuse. There remain issues that undermine quality that seem not to be understood fully or resolved. For example, many employers wanting to do the right thing for their business and their apprentices struggle with an understanding of ‘off the job learning’ definitions while a significant proportion of learners don’t appreciate they are apprentices.

Which leads neatly to the final question about ensuring the voice of apprentices is heard. I hope respondents will give resounding support to this. I would have wanted to see the apprentice voice directly on the board itself or at board meetings and I hope this can still be achieved. Every Apprenticeship employer group with which I have been involved has benefitted hugely from hearing directly from apprentices. They have both inspired employers and grounded them in the reality of experiencing an Apprenticeship.

In response to the consultation, I anticipate employers strongly supporting the Institute for Apprenticeships and ensuring their money is well spent. I hope though that they will press for a body that will really make a difference, not simply administering but helping drive Apprenticeship reforms; and giving us an Institute that has a strong prospect of enduring long enough for us all to understand what it does and to capitalise on the massive potential benefits for good that it offers.

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source http://www.youthinjobs.co.uk/hub/apprenticeships/institute-for-apprenticeships-a-time-to-be-bold/ from Youth In Jobs http://youthinjobs.blogspot.com/2017/01/institute-for-apprenticeships-time-to.html

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Everything you need to know about the new apprenticeship at North East Scotland College

Jake Cox, from Aberdeen, is among those to have seized the new opportunity.

North East Scotland College is offering a new form of apprenticeship to youngsters from the area.

Foundation apprenticeships have been set up across the country since 2014 after the Scottish Government recognised the need to balance academic and vocational learning in secondary schools.

The college is now offering people the chance to gain qualifications in social care, engineering and health, and children and young people.

Jake Cox, from Aberdeen, is among those to have seized the new opportunity.

The 16-year-old is juggling his fifth year at St Machar Academy pupil with a foundation apprenticeship in mechanical engineering.

As part of this, he travels to the Fraserburgh campus every Wednesday.

He said: “The facilities here are amazing, much better than at school.

“I’ve enjoyed everything so far and to be honest, it is so much better than I thought it would be.

“We’ve covered computer aided design, dynamics and statics in the classroom and we’re now based in the workshop.

“I haven’t decided what I’ll do yet when I leave school but I know it will be engineering related.”

During his two year apprenticeship he will undertake 300 hours of work experience and gain a qualification.

Shelley Mackenzie, the schools liaison manager at the college, said there were plans to develop more foundation apprenticeships for the next academic year.

She said: “For a number of years North East Scotland College has partnered with Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire councils to offer a range of vocational courses to pupils as part of their senior school timetable.

“Foundation apprenticeships fit well with this activity as they offer a blended learning experience allowing pupils to stay at school to take school based subjects whilst also accessing a college education alongside extended work experience opportunities.

“This blended senior phase experience will really equip pupils with both the knowledge and skills they need for entering the work place.

“In the academic year 17-18 there will be foundation apprenticeships in creative and digital media, ICT hardware, laboratory science and business skills, in addition to those being offered this year.”

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source http://www.youthinjobs.co.uk/hub/apprenticeships/everything-need-know-new-apprenticeship-north-east-scotland-college/ from Youth In Jobs http://youthinjobs.blogspot.com/2017/01/everything-you-need-to-know-about-new.html

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Gloucestershire College to host event on upcoming apprenticeship reforms to help employers

GLOUCESTERSHIRE College has teamed up with law firm Harrison Clark Rickerbys to put on a special conference to inform the county’s businesses on the apprenticeship reforms coming into effect in April.

The event also aims to give employers a greater understanding of the law governing the employment of apprentices.

It will benefit both levy-payers and those who do not meet the annual wage bill threshold, with the opportunity to speak to experts in the field and gain practical guidance on getting the most from apprenticeships.

The conference will take place from 9am to 3pm on Thursday, January 26, at the college’s Cheltenham Campus.

It will include:

Education reforms and skills plan – Sue Steed, Vice Principal at Gloucestershire College

Financial implications for levy and non-levy payers – Andy Bates, chief financial officer at Gloucestershire College

New Digital Apprenticeship Service (DAS)

Legal guidance on employing apprentices – Jenny Jones, head of employment, and Rachel Parkin, senior associate at Harrison Clark Rickerbys

Group discussions and Q&A

Andy Bates, chief financial officer at the college, said: “89 per cent of apprentice employers say that apprenticeships have helped improve the quality of their product or service, and I would encourage business owners, directors, managers and senior HR professionals to get to grips with the opportunities apprenticeships offer.

“The scope of apprentices is always changing, for example at GC we offer more than 35 different apprenticeships, from accountancy to professional cookery.

“For employers, having a good idea of the possibilities will ensure the best return on their levy payments, and the Levy Conference is designed to ensure businesses are up-to-date and fully prepared for the forthcoming changes.”

Rachel Parkin, senior associate solicitor at Harrison Clark Rickerbys, said: “Harrison Clark Rickerbys is delighted to be working in partnership with Gloucestershire College on this event.

“With the introduction of the apprenticeship levy, it is even more important that employers understand their legal obligations in relation to employing apprentices. We are looking forward to sharing our knowledge with delegates at the Levy Conference.”

Tickets to the conference are priced at £50 each and include a light lunch.

Visit gloscol.ac.uk/events to book your place.

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JCB worker named best in England at National Apprenticeship Awards

A former JCB Academy student is today championing apprenticeships after being crowned the best in the country at last night’s National Apprenticeship Awards.

Holly Broadhurst was last night named the Nuclear Decommissioning Site Licence Companies Higher and Degree Apprentice of the Year. She picked up her gong during a glittering ceremony at London’s Grosvenor House. The 22-year-old won the award ahead of hundreds of competing apprentices from all around England. She is now a full-time design engineer for JCB, designing compact 360 tracked excavators for a living after recently completing a higher apprenticeship with the Rocester-based firm.

After accepting her award, she outlined how important it was to have had a strong female role model while she studied at JCB Academy, which is also in Rocester.

Miss Broadhurst, who works at JCB Compact Products, in Cheadle, said: “I’ve learned and gained so much more than I ever thought possible through my apprenticeship with JCB. I had a female lecturer during my time spent in the JCB Academy and, as a woman within engineering, she was a great role model to encourage me into the industry.

“When I first started my apprenticeship I knew I wanted to work in engineering but my apprenticeship enabled me to maximise my experience by rotating around different parts of the business. This gave me a good insight into how the company is run and helped me to realise the area best suited to my skills.

“I look at my friends who went to university and they are only just getting the workplace experience now. I would advise anyone considering an apprenticeship to go for it 110 per cent. It may seem nerve-wracking to go straight into a job but it is so worth it in the long run.”

The National Apprenticeship Awards are now in their 13th year. Run by the National Apprenticeship Service, they recognise excellence in two areas – businesses that ‘grow their own talent’ with apprentices and apprentices who have ‘made a significant contribution to their workplaces’.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Government’s apprenticeships and skills minister, Robert Halfon, reserved special praise for Miss Broadhurst, who hails from Leek, in the Staffordshire Moorlands

He said: “Congratulations to Holly for your success in this year’s National Apprenticeship Awards, which have showcased so much inspiring talent, dedication and ensures that apprenticeships get the prestige they deserve.

“I am always proud to see how many employers and apprentices get involved in apprenticeships across the country, helping to give a ladder of opportunity to people and deliver quality skills for employers. I hope your involvement encourages others to do the same to ensure social justice for all.”

The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, which has backed the awards, is a government organisation tasked with the safe clean-up of the UK’s former civil nuclear sites.

Beccy Pleasant, head of skills and talent at the authority, said: “I am so pleased for Holly Broadhurst in winning the Nuclear Site Licence Companies higher or degree-level apprenticeship award at this year’s National Apprenticeship Awards.

“Higher and degree-level apprenticeships are proving to be a successful method of recruiting people into our businesses. Apprentices are equipped for the world of work and can make a more immediate impact on our businesses. And the individuals are able to start financially planning for their future, rather than repaying student debts of the past.”

The night’s events were hosted by Sue Husband, the director of the National Apprenticeship Service, who paid tribute to all those who had been nominated.

She said:“The National Apprenticeship Awards have highlighted once again the magnificent range of apprenticeships on offer – with leading employers in exciting industries – and the skills that apprentices gain when taking on these roles.

“Every year this event gets bigger and better, bringing to the forefront of our minds the importance of apprenticeships to local, regional and national economies.

“Apprenticeships are for everyone and I personally thank each and every employer and apprentice recognised at Friday’s event for their commitment to apprenticeships.”

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National Apprenticeship Awards winners announced

Individuals and employers recognised at glittering ceremony in London for their commitment to the apprenticeship programme

Apprentices and employers were in the spotlight at last night’s 13th annual National Apprenticeship Awards. The ceremony, hosted by the National Apprenticeship Service, saw six employers and three apprentices, as well as a national apprentice champion, recognised for their commitment to apprenticeships.

Also announced on the night was the Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers list 2016, featuring the most exceptional apprenticeship employers from all National Apprenticeship Awards employer categories.

Apprenticeships and skills minister Robert Halfon said: “Congratulations to all the winners – they are champions showcasing how apprenticeships to give everyone the chance to get on. Apprenticeships work. They give people of all ages and all backgrounds the ladder of opportunity to get paid experience in work and a top class qualification at the same time.”

The winners:

The I-Can Qualifications Award for Intermediate Apprentice of the Year: Charlotte Blowers, Exceed

EAL Award for Advanced Apprentice of the Year: Adam Sharp, Sellafield Ltd

The Nuclear Decommissioning Site Licence Companies Award for the Higher or Degree Apprentice of the Year: Holly Broadhurst, J C Bamford Excavators Ltd

Premier Inn sponsored Apprentice Champion Award: John Clarke, technical manager with BT.

Unilever Small Employer of the Year: Ebsford Environmental Ltd

British Gas Medium Employer of the Year: Troup Bywaters + Anders

BAE Systems Award for Large Employer of the Year: Mercedes-Benz UK

EON Award for Macro Employer of the Year: Mitie Group Plc

Santander Award for Newcomer SME of the Year: Craggs Energy Ltd

Rolls-Royce Award for Newcomer Large Employer of the Year: Bond Dickinson LLP

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‘The Government’s apprenticeship scheme is biased against the disadvantaged young people who need it most’

Kamila Kingstone, The Indiependent

‘Experience does not pay the rent or keep the lights on. It does not keep the fridge stocked or pay the train fare’

This week, the Government announced it would recruit another 200,000 apprentices as part of new targets to transform the public sector.

The reform aims to create thousands of “quality opportunities” in the public sector, giving more people the chance to launch or develop a career in the NHS, police forces or working in vital local government services.

It’s a positive figure for young people hoping to train in their chosen career without the fees expected of universities. But creating more positions sadly doesn’t solve the underlying problems already faced by the thousands of young people struggling to get by.

Apprentices under the age of 19, or in their first year of an apprenticeship, are entitled to just £3.40 an hour.

This means that, unless a young person has parents who can support them, or is able to rely on the intensely complex and uncooperative benefits system, they simply cannot afford to do an apprenticeship.

Classified neither as a worker nor a student, apprentices fall through the gaps in the social safety net. Not being workers, they are not entitled to the National Minimum Wage, and, not being students, they cannot access student loans, discounted travel, or student bank accounts.

Their parents also lose their child benefit and tax credits because an apprentice, despite attending classes and studying towards a vocational qualification, is no longer considered to be in education.

Facing such a system, it is little wonder that young people from low-income families appear reluctant to sign up, and news that disadvantaged young people are underrepresented in the government’s £2bn-a-year apprenticeship scheme should not come as a surprise to anyone.

According to new figures from the government’s Social Mobility Commission (SMC), just 10 per cent of apprenticeships are taken by young people on free school meals, a demographic that makes up 13 per cent of schoolchildren.

The obvious pitfalls of the scheme were pointed out by the NUS in a 2015 report, which claim “this generation is being systematically shut out from vocational education because of financial constraints at almost every stage”.

Condemning the apprenticeship wage as “exploitative”, the NUS advocated that apprentices be entitled to the National Minimum Wage.

Although the government raised the apprenticeship wage by 20 per cent a few months later from £2.73 to £3.40, it is simply not enough to enable disadvantaged youngsters to join the scheme.

In response to the latest figures, Alan Milburn, Chair of the SMC, has urged the government to prevent a “class gap” and “step in to create a more level playing field”.

Although Milburn does not go into specifics, it seems clear that the best way to ensure equal access to the scheme is to make apprentices eligible for the National Minimum Wage.

It is true that apprentices are usually less skilled than full employees, but the minimum wage is there to ensure that, regardless of skill level, every person has the basics with which to live.

If the government wants to ensure that anyone, whatever their background, can do an apprenticeship, then apprentices must be able to support themselves.

The key purpose of apprenticeships is to offer a non-academic route into work, requiring fewer GCSEs than most other paths. The irony is that it is precisely those who are most in need of an apprenticeship who are least likely to have someone to subsidise their living costs.

A 2016 Department of Education report found that 63 per cent of disadvantaged students failed to acquire five good GCSEs, and placing a possible means for them to find employment beyond their financial reach is farcical.

It is true that the government cannot afford to underwrite the National Minimum Wage for all apprentices, and businesses will be less likely to hire apprentices if they have to pay them more.

But if the aim of the scheme is to aid social mobility, then the government should compromise by offering fewer but sufficiently paid opportunities.

Deficient apprenticeship wages do not, of course, exist in a vacuum. It is an issue inexorably tied up with zero-hour contracts, the denial of the living wage to under-25s, government-sanctioned unpaid traineeships,and unpaid internships.

In all walks of life, experience is increasingly considered an adequate reward for work. But it is not and never will be.

Experience does not pay the rent or keep the lights on. It does not keep the fridge stocked or pay the train fare. When you are earning just £3.40 an hour, experience does not cover the difference between your income and your outgoings.

Theresa May claims she wants to make the UK a “great meritocracy”. If she’s truly honest about this ambition, she needs to make apprenticeships feasible for all.

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‘No one should ever be written off,’ says STEM Hero Faye Banks

David Bennun, The Telegraph

As a child, STEM Hero Faye Banks spent time in a children’s home and once was the only woman in a factory of 500 men. She is now north-east electrical transmission and asset manager for National Grid, managing the network that delivers electricity to millions of homes.

Faye Banks, 37, is the north-east electrical transmission and asset manager for National Grid. Since growing up in care and returning to education to retake her GCSEs while working at a packing plant, she has become Young Women Engineer of the Year 2004 and the youngest-ever fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), where she is helping to draft the frameworks for the Trailblazer Apprenticeships scheme.

It’s a wide variety of work that I do. I pick operational teams in the North-East, with diverse skill-sets. I’ve got commissioning engineers, craft roles, technicians, substation attendants. Their task is to carry out maintenance on a daily basis. We do condition-monitoring surveys to detect any heat spots or anomalies. That’s the network element of it. But also I liaise with the generation sites, the third-party contractors, the commercial part. I’m looking at whether we can increase dynamic capability and delivery.

It’s very challenging. With National Grid, the asset set is so diverse, you come across assets that might be 40 or 50 years old, that were built to last for life, gold-plated. And you’ve got brand-new, cutting-edge technology with an asset life of less than ten years. You’ve got such different control mechanisms. The reality is you have to be familiar with 50 years’ worth of electrical engineering at any one time and adapt yourself to it.

I want to break down those barriers and stereotypes of why people think women can’t do these jobs.

When you’ve got technical issues, engineers tend to be very objective people. But the human element of it is very subjective. Fault-finding skills you can transfer to people, but then engaging and motivating and understanding people’s attitudes and work ethics, it’s a totally different skill-set. You continually have to develop people, challenge your team. If elements A and B are around the technical skills, C, D and E are more around the people skills.

Then there’s the teaching relationship, with trainees and apprentices. By 2020 we need a million more engineers and we’re not getting the numbers coming through. We always say “engineers”, but it’s the craft skills we require, it’s the technicians we require. So apprenticeships can give people a route straight into those roles. It’s not just getting the kind of apprenticeship where you get an NVQ, It’s an apprenticeship where you come out with an approved, accredited engineering degree.

No one should ever be written off. Just because you don’t meet societal expectations, you don’t come from a family with 2.4 children or whatever. When I look at my own situation – no support in the care home, no support for homework – it was just about survival for me. I now work in schools with children who are failing, pre-GCSE, and try to give them support. We all need to do our little bit.

I was the one woman in a factory workforce of 500 men at one point. It was a very difficult time. I think I learnt a lot about myself, that I was resilient. It’s a shocking statistic that so few engineers (one in 20) are female. I think you have to lead by example. I want to be a forward-thinking leader and I think it’s great to have a diverse workforce. I want to break down those barriers and stereotypes of why people think women can’t do these jobs.

For more National Grid apprenticeships and jobsplease visit www.youthinjobs.co.uk

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Government to create 200,000 new apprenticeships

By Harry Yorke, online education editor. The telegraph.

The public sector needs to lead the way in equipping young people for the future, Skills Minister Robert Halfon said on Wednesday as the Government announced the creation of 200,000 new apprenticeships by 2020.

Commenting on the extension of the apprenticeship programme – which saw more than half a million apprentices begin courses last year – Mr Halfon said that the new recruitment drive would help bolster services including the NHS, local government and police forces around the country.

“We are committed to breaking down barriers and creating a ladder of opportunity for people everywhere. For our public sector to be the very best in the world, we need talented and ambitious people of all ages and from every background,” he added.

“Businesses across the country have well and truly got behind apprenticeships. Now it is time to ensure the public sector reaps the benefits of apprenticeships and young people get the opportunities they deserve.

“Setting these expectations for larger employers in the public sector is essential to give people the skills they need to succeed and enable public sector employers to deliver the skilled workforce for the future.”

Apprenticeships | At a glance

An alternative route into higher education

A work-based learning programme for students to ‘earn while you learn’

Leads to practical experience and a nationally recognised qualification relevant to your chosen profession

Students are paid national minimum wage (£3.30) for anyone under 19, or 19 or over in the first year of their apprenticeship, but this excludes higher level. Some employers offer considerably more

Anybody aged above 16 with 5 GCSEs grade A to C can apply for an apprenticeship

You can apply for an apprenticeship if you have no qualifications whatsoever but you will be required to undertake key skills maths and English

Intermediate apprenticeship

A level two apprenticeship

Equivalent to five GCSEs at A to C grade

Advanced apprenticeship

A level three apprenticeship

Equivalent to two A-levels

 Higher apprenticeship

At levels four, five, six and seven Equivalent to foundation to degree levels

The announcement comes on the back of the Government’s commitment to deliver three million apprenticeships by 2020, which would see 2.3 percent of the public sector workforce employed under the scheme.

The new duty, introduced under the 2016 Enterprise Act, will apply to public sector bodies with more than 250 employees and is set to be implemented in April.

Among its backers is the Civil Service, which has already pledged to hire 30,000 apprenticeships within the next three years.

However, news of the scheme’s extension is likely to be met with resistance within the education sector, with several education groups already opposed to the new apprenticeship levy – a measure being used to fund new apprenticeships.

Due to be introduced in April, businesses with a wage bill over £3m a year will be forced to contribute 0.5 percent of their wage bill to fund the scheme – with local authority-run schools warning that new measure could cause stretch their budgets to breaking point.

The Local Government Association (LGA), which represents 370 councils in England and Wales, is among the groups opposed to the levy.

Speaking to reporters last week, chair Richard Watts said that the new measure dealt small schools an “unfair hand”, adding that they should be exempt from paying.

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City Council and partners help 5,000 into jobs and apprenticeships in 2016

Thousands of people have been helped into work and training in Nottingham in the last year, thanks to Nottingham City Council and its partners.

The total of 4,809 includes 2,300 local residents who were helped into employment and 915 young people into apprenticeships supported through the council’s Nottingham Jobs Hub. Since April 2016, 830 unemployed 16-29 year olds have benefitted from the Nottingham Works programme.

Nottingham continues to be ranked first out of the eight English Core Cities for the percentage of 16 and 17 year olds who are not in Employment, Education or Training (NEET). Of the 2,728 sixteen year olds who completed school Year 11 this summer:

96.63 per cent (2636) went into further education, employment and training 2.82 per cent (77) are NEET (not in education, employment or training) 0.55 per cent (15) are ‘not known.’ Overall, Nottingham has seen the biggest fall in unemployment of any of England’s Core Cities, according to latest figures.

Unemployment in Nottingham City fell by 2.9% last month and by 6% in the last 12 months. Places like Birmingham, Manchester and Newcastle all saw unemployment increase. Figures for the wider ‘primary urban area’ of Nottingham show unemployment fell by 2.6% last month and 4% over the year, the second biggest annual decline after Liverpool.

Councillor Sam Webster, Portfolio Holder for Education, Employment and Skills at Nottingham City Council, said: “The latest reduction in unemployment is very positive. Nottingham City Council is leading the way and doing things differently to make a real change and these figures show that our approach is working. We are determined to deliver on our specific pledge to guarantee a job, apprenticeship or training place for every 18-24 year old in Nottingham City.

“We have set out our clear commitment to making sure the people of Nottingham have first access to jobs, training and apprenticeships. Our message is simple. There is some support for everyone. The role our partner organisations play is also important to achieving this goal. And with the help of local businesses we can continue to create more opportunities for local people.”

Nottingham Jobs is just one of the ways the council is doing things differently. Nottingham City Council, Job Centre and Futures Advice are working closely together. It is, in part this joint initiative that is delivering real results by reducing unemployment in the city.

One project under the Nottingham Jobs banner is the national award-winning and pioneering project, Nottingham Works. The £6.9m European Social Fund-backed initiative supports young people aged 16-29 years old who are at risk of social exclusion because they have little or no prospect of getting a job. It includes a package of intensive careers support, Traineeships, and grants to encourage employers to create vacancies for those who might otherwise struggle to get into work.

Under this project there are different schemes, including Step Into Work, which has six centres across Nottingham where people can access to skills training, advice and guidance, work related qualifications, job searches and work experience and voluntary work. There are also traineeship programmes, where young people can receive a weekly allowance to participate in a pre-traineeship programme to ensure they are able to commit to and succeed on a full programme.

The Futures Advice, Skills and Employment scheme offer a range of support for young people aged 16-29 including intensive careers support, Nottingham Jobs Fund and traineeships. The national award winning scheme is for those who face the biggest barriers getting into employment, while Nottingham Jobs Fund Plus (NJF+) is designed to support employers to create year-long jobs for people aged 18 to 24, who are considered to be at risk or involved in gang activity, ex-offenders, or those who have been unemployed for a least 26 weeks.

Nottingham City Council is committed to creating apprenticeships and, in the New Year will be recruiting a further 50 new apprentices for a range of roles. The council also supports local businesses by offering grants to create apprenticeship opportunities.

Jobs Fairs are important for job seekers to meet with recruiters. The city council support a number throughout the year including:

The annual Jobs Fair at the Motorpoint Arena which attracted over 3,000 jobseekers and 100 employers Futures’ What Next careers and opportunities event which, this year, attracted over 5000 young people and their families to explore future options The Nottingham North annual jobs fair, which was attended by over 500 people, who met with over 40 local employers and training providers. Reducing unemployment in the city is one of the key themes of the Nottingham Plan to 2020. The plan sets the overall strategic direction and long-term vision for the economic, social and environmental well-being of Nottingham. The plan was launched in 2009 and these latest employment figures are just one of the many successes achieved as part of the Nottingham Plan.

One Nottingham, which produced the plan in partnership with the council, and its Chair Jane Todd said: “It’s so encouraging to see how much we have achieved on the Nottingham Plan over the years. 2015/16 has been a successful year, especially for the city’s commitment to getting local people into jobs or training. The Nottingham Plan to 2020 is a long term vision and I hope that successes continue to show in Nottingham.”

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BT traineeships up for grabs in Northallerton

from Youth In Jobs http://youthinjobs.blogspot.com/2017/01/bt-traineeships-up-for-grabs-in.html

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Apprenticeships: what’s next?

With the levy coming into force this April, employers should consider the legal aspects of taking more apprentices, writes Stephen Foster

It’s that time of year where we have made our new year resolutions and are planning for the 12 months ahead, and this year sees a major step in the implementation of one of the government’s electoral resolutions – three million new apprenticeship starters by May 2020.

While separate measures will be considered for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, the new approach to apprenticeships taking effect in England from April 2017 is likely to have a significant impact on how employers will recruit and develop staff, as well as on the quality of apprenticeships provided.

The aim of this new approach is to ensure employers have access to new talent that can develop relevant skills and experience that benefits both the apprentice and the employer at a reasonable cost. This will be achieved by establishing agreed standards determined by businesses within various sectors, through the use of training providers and the introduction of the apprenticeship levy.

Finding an apprentice and drawing up contracts

Companies interested in employing an apprentice can register their interest with the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS). NAS will support and coordinate the delivery of apprenticeships and training throughout England. It can also advertise vacancies should employers wish to do so.

Once an organisation has identified an apprentice, both parties will enter into an ‘apprenticeship agreement’ or ‘apprenticeship contract’. This will determine the terms of the relationship and rights of the apprentice. It’s therefore important that employers ensure the most appropriate agreements or contracts are drafted before anything is agreed.

While apprentices will be subject to the same policies and procedures as other employees, one notable difference is that the ability to terminate an apprenticeship contract early is limited. Employers should seek legal advice before any steps are taken to terminate early; if the company gets it wrong and breaches the contract, an apprentice could claim compensation not only for loss of earnings over the remaining term of the agreement but also for the lost opportunity to qualify into their chosen career. Naturally, this could increase the compensation significantly.

Apprenticeship levy

From April 2017, employers in both the public and private sectors with an employee payroll of more than £3m will be required to pay a levy to HMRC through PAYE of 0.5 per cent of the payroll bill (less an allowance of £15,000) into the employer’s digital account. For every £1 paid in by the business, the government will contribute 10p to the account. Additional contributions may be available; for example, if the apprentice is under 18. The employer can then access these funds within 24 months from when they are paid into the digital account, to spend on accredited apprenticeship programmes for training and assessment. The funds cannot be used for additional expenses such as wages or other similar overheads.

For organisations with a payroll of less than £3m, the government will continue to contribute towards apprenticeships using a system of co-investment.

Next steps

First, employers should determine whether they are subject to the apprenticeship levy and, if so, register for a digital account via the Digital Apprenticeship Service. Second, if they are interested in engaging an apprentice, they should register with NAS. Next, they must prepare appropriate apprentice agreements/contracts; and finally, check with their liability insurers whether they require notification if an apprentice is appointed and whether any premium or special terms may apply.

Stephen Foster is a partner in the employment team at SAS Daniels

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Is your business prepared for the apprenticeship levy? Free event in Bristol can help you prepare

Is your business prepared for the apprenticeship levy? Free event in Bristol can help you prepareIs your business prepared for the apprenticeship levy? Free event in Bristol can help you prepare

More than 200 employers from across the region are expected at SGS College, WISE Campus, in Stoke Gifford, Bristol, on Friday, February 10, to ensure they are fully prepared for the major reforms to apprenticeships, which come into effect from April this year.

The apprenticeship reforms will affect employers of all sizes. Large employers, with an annual pay bill over £3m, should already be aware that they will have to pay an apprenticeship levy from April 2017. The event workshops will help employers understand the levy process, and how they can get a return on this mandatory investment.

Smaller and medium sized employers are also affected by the apprenticeship reforms, which include new incentives and a new funding system to engage in apprenticeships. Bespoke workshops will ensure all types of employer are catered for, including the public sector where special rules apply.

Employers are in good hands with SGS College, which achieved the highest score of any college nationally in the 2016 FE Choices Employer Satisfaction Survey, scoring 99.5 per cent satisfaction rate.

Staff celebrate a great result in the FE Choices Employer Satisfaction Survey

More than 60,000 employers gave their views, allowing an insight into the experience they have had with their local college in terms to quality of training and responsiveness received.

SGS College works with many regional employers, including South Gloucestershire Council, the Ministry of Defence, Boeing, Coutts Bank, Bristol City Council and CF Roberts.

Sara-Jane Watkins, Principal of SGS College, commented: “The college now delivers training for more than 1,000 employers and we are thrilled to be able to host this important event. The information being presented will be vital for all employers engaged in, or considering, apprenticeships to ensure they are prepared for the major reforms from April 2017.”

Sara-Jane Watkins, Principal of SGS College

The Apprenticeship Reforms Event is run in collaboration with some of the region’s largest apprenticeship providers, including SGS College, City of Bristol College, the South West Apprenticeship Company and the Western Training Provider Network, to ensure it reaches as many employers as possible.

This free event will run from 9.30 – 12.30, and places can be booked here.

SGS WISE Campus is within close proximity to the M4/M5 interchange and a shuttle bus service will run from Bristol Parkway station. FIRST SEEN HERE 

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source http://www.youthinjobs.co.uk/hub/news/is-your-business-prepared-for-the-apprenticeship-levy-free-event-in-bristol-can-help-you-prepare/ from Youth In Jobs http://youthinjobs.blogspot.com/2017/01/is-your-business-prepared-for.html

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‘Make Ucas a one stop shop for apprenticeships and degrees’

Employers, schools, education providers and local government need to come together to showcase post-16 options, writes the AAT’s Suzie Webb This month will see many thousands of A-level students throughout the country take that first giant step into the unknown, as they rush to submit Ucas applications in order to comply with the 15 January deadline for the majority of undergraduate courses.

For many of these students, university will undoubtedly be the best route into their chosen career. Despite the surge in student fees in recent years, a survey in summer 2015 still revealed that, on average, graduates may earn up to £500,000 more than apprentices over the course of their lifetime.

However, 2017 could also be the year for learners to consider entering the workplace rather than spend thousands on a degree that may not help their own personal circumstances. It is a shame that following the Ucas route seems to be a default for many in this position, with nearly two thirds of A-level students last summer telling the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) that the careers advice they received was skewed towards university education.

The advice offered is clearly failing some school leavers, who are presented with little or no information about alternative vocational and technical routes available to them, which cover a wide range of industries and professions.

A Ucas ‘one stop shop’ So what steps can be taken to improve the information and advice being made available to learners? The Public Accounts Committee’s report on the apprenticeships programme, published in late November, called on the Department for Education to do more to communicate the value of apprenticeships to potential apprentices, parents, schools and careers services, as well as their value to small businesses in particular. I couldn’t agree more with this. Advice should not simply be restricted to the individual student but also provided to the employer about the value of high-quality professionally qualified apprentices.

Employers, schools, education providers and local government need to come together to showcase the diversity of routes to employment that are available for young people, and empower them to consider their own career plan as well as the information and knowledge they need to decide the best pathway into their career of choice. This would open doors for young people, and would allow businesses to work with schools to foster and promote the skills that they need.

And an extension of the Ucas system – which currently markets itself as being “at the heart of connecting people to higher education” – could be included to show potential apprentices that higher education does not represent the only option available. An integrated portal, bringing together Ucas, the National Apprenticeship Service and other non-academic websites under one managed service could be the best way of ensuring equal coverage of all routes to employment. Such a “one stop shop” could more accurately outline the various options available to young people, and mean they could just as readily apply for an apprenticeship route as they can for universities or other forms of higher education.

The new apprenticeship levy is coming into force in April, providing a sizeable opportunity for UK employers to invest in apprenticeship schemes. While we hope this can act as an incentive for employers to seek the best talent through this system, it’s not enough at the other end of the scale to actually attract potential apprentices in. A report published in September claimed that, despite the government’s commitment to creating 3 million more apprenticeships by 2020, a lack of information, along with financial barriers, could continue to put those young people from lower income backgrounds in particular off the apprenticeship route. Consistency across the piece – making it as easy for those who wish to consider apprenticeships to be able to access the right information, as it is for those who wish to consider a university route or other forms of higher education, could be one huge step in the right direction.

Suzie Webb is director of education and development at the Association of Accounting Technicians​

source http://www.youthinjobs.co.uk/hub/uncategorized/make-ucas-a-one-stop-shop-for-apprenticeships-and-degrees/ from Youth In Jobs http://youthinjobs.blogspot.com/2017/01/make-ucas-one-stop-shop-for.html

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Apprenticeships: Vacancies drop but applications rise ahead of the levy

Apprenticeship vacancies have fallen by a fifth while applications have increased by a third, according to new government statistics The number of apprenticeship vacancies being advertised has dropped by more than 20 per cent, with providers believing that employers are holding back on recruitment in the run-up to the introduction of the apprenticeship levy.

Data published by the government last week showed that 50,070 apprenticeship vacancies were posted on the Recruit an Apprentice website, which allows training providers to post vacancies and manage applications, in the three months from August to October 2016. This compared with 62,880 in the same period the previous year, and it is the first time the figure has dropped in this quarter for eight years.

However, the figures also reveal that the number of applications has increased by 35 per cent from last year, from 425,020 in the first quarter of 2015-16 to 575,610 in the equivalent period in 2016-17. Of these, there was an increase of more than 100,000 in the applications from 16- to 18-year-olds.

According to the Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP), the drop in vacancies posted could be down to the forthcoming introduction of the levy in April, which will change the way apprenticeships are funded. While currently, for example, employers have to fund a third of the cost of the Trailblazer apprenticeships, from April levy payers will receive a 10 per cent top-up on their levy contribution to fund apprenticeships, and non-levy paying employers will be expected to pay 10 per cent of the cost of an apprenticeship.

‘Hopefully numbers will recover’

AELP chief executive Mark Dawe told TES that providers were reporting a lag in recruitment because of the difference between current funding arrangements and the ones coming into effect in May.

“It’s particularly hard to persuade a finance director to sign off vacancies under the new standards now, when the 33 per cent employer contribution is soon to disappear,” he said. “While we still have over half a million young people unemployed, the lag is very unfortunate but most would agree that the new funding regime is more attractive than the Trailblazer one so hopefully numbers overall will recover.”

Mr Dawe added that providers were waiting to hear if they had secured a contract from the Skills Funding Agency to deliver apprenticeships to non-levy payers. Uncertainty was also being created by providers having to wait to learn whether they have been approved for the new register of providers. “All of this is creating uncertainty and a reluctance on the part of some to take the risk of recruiting,” he added.

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source http://www.youthinjobs.co.uk/hub/news/apprenticeships-vacancies-drop-but-applications-rise-ahead-of-the-levy/ from Youth In Jobs http://youthinjobs.blogspot.com/2017/01/apprenticeships-vacancies-drop-but.html