GREATER TOGETHERGrowing Apprenticeships and Traineeships in the North East and Yorkshire and the Humber

Barriers and Feedback

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Themes The themes on both days were:

Growing Apprenticeships – and traineeships through effective employer engagement

Ideas – want the event to be about sharing

What works?

What we can do? – steer clear of things we can’t change

Sharing with others – there is a large enough untapped market for all

Overcoming barriers – positive focus

Working together – encouraging collaboration to make it easy for existing customers to do more and to attract new customers

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Barriers to Employer Engagement

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Barriers to Recruiting Apprenticeships

Lack of impartial and high quality IAG in schools

Selling apprenticeships to younger workers when apprenticeship rate of pay is below National Minimum Wage and below pay rates for many entry level jobs.

The title "apprenticeship" puts potential older learners off using the qualification as a career advancement or progression tool

High Schools offering NVQ & BTEC qual's to learners before leaving school which conflict with apprenticeship funding streams for providers

Location - no consideration given to a 16 year old, who can't drive and are expected to work outside of public transport running hours - particularly in the hospitality trades

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What Works For You?North East

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Examples of Working Together North East

Working with national multi-site employer, could only deliver locally but sourced/identified other good quality providers in other locations and delivered same programme in partnership.

Beginning to establish relationships with HE institutions for progression to Higher Apprenticeships

Work with other projects/agencies such as Generation NE which can support employers and apprentices to remove barriers.

Piloting new types of delivery/progression

Work with Recruitment Agencies who can deliver pre-employment/apprenticeship training

Strong sub-contracting arrangements at national and local level including working together to deliver different elements of a framework

Establish strong relationship with local authority who can support employer engagement activities

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Overcoming BarriersNorth East

Barrier Solution

If refer to another provider especially a large college – all the business will be lost 

Establish trust between providers  

Employers not prepared/able to release apprentices for training 

Flexible provision and work experience placements to backfill while training takes place 

Parental Attitudes 

Parent focussed marketing/awareness raising 

Complexity/bureaucracy of sub-contracting  

Clear detailed specification in sub contract and good communications/relationships 

JCP Providers “holding on” to clients rather than progressing them to other provider  

JCP staff asked to intervene to ensure the outcome for the individual and the employer

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What Works For You?Yorkshire and the Humber

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Examples of Working Together Yorkshire and the Humber

Events with hubs, LA’s, providers, employers and apprentices, targeting parents, young people and employer networks - educating key influencers

Local network meetings to share best practice and opportunities to get together like at these events

Provider networks – link to and seek to develop referral methods that all partners sign up to/share good practice

Lead providers to target LEP focus area and use sub-contractors for specialist delivery where needed

Working with the vol/com sector to deliver soft skills and specialist mental health support

AMRC (SY) – university collaboration regarding engineering provides a clear progression route

LCR Skills Network

Leeds Hub – good at getting into schools and gaining access for employers

Hub provider network/s – sharing good practice, solving issues leading to providers working more closely and making cross referrals

JCP – asking providers to present in jobcentres to generate referrals

ATA model – particularly working well for construction

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apprenticeships.gov.uk

Overcoming BarriersYorkshire and the Humber

Barrier Solution

Challenge re delivery of English and Maths Policy change needed? Work more closely with schools

FE colleges and VTC’s offering BTECs etc that make 16+ ineligible

 

Raising of the participation age – lack of young people/candidates

 

Raising awareness of apprenticeships with employees

Working collaboratively/in partnership with HASS (and other groups/forums)

Culture of worklessness Target specific postcodes/areas and seek ways to engage 

Historical perception of apprenticeships as being ‘slave labour’

More targeted and informed IAG, brand is key

Benefit implications for other family members DWP/BIS to consider

Employers without qualifications themselves are often reluctant to allow staff to gain more qualifications than them

Explain business benefits for training existing employees ensuring employers see the benefit of all levels of apprenticeships and of progressing their staff

Employer wants provider to deliver many varied frameworks

Use sub-contractors to deliver more localised solutions

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Overcoming Barriers Cont….Yorkshire and the Humber

Barrier Solution

Understanding employment law around apprenticeships

Breaking down barriers more effectively via more focussed discussion

Delivery of apprenticeship getting in the way of the business

Clearly demonstrate added value of apprenticeships

Employers expecting too much of apprentices Help employers to understand the benefit/role of apprenticeships better – employer/apprentice charter?

Employers not committing to apprenticeships following traineeships

Refer all traineeship leavers to the Hubs

Cost of day release – impact on employer Clearly demonstrate added value of apprenticeships

Smaller employers having no plans for growth Demonstrate the added value of employing an apprentice for their business

Misuse of the AGE grant by employers Timing of payments to be altered to keep employer engaged

Trailblazer delivery is often challenging  

Not enough information available re Highers More info available for year 13 school leavers on Highers re progression opportunities/salaries etc