Apprenticeships - has your school taken advantage yet
Apprenticeships – has your school taken advantage
yet? The Office for National Statistics announced in October
that it had been a record year for apprenticeships and Skills
Minister, Kevin Brennan is committing to making the scheme easier
for employers, we look at how schools can benefit.
Apprenticeships can bring real benefits to
your school and staff, helping you to fill skills gaps and bring
greater diversity to your workforce.
If you currently employ someone under the age
of 19 they could be up-skilled, trained and be making a significant
contribution to your school completely free of charge. Even
if you need to take on a new junior member of staff and want
someone with the right attitude – someone with enthusiasm and who
wants to learn on the job – an apprentice could provide you with a
more successful alternative to normal recruitment channels.
One local employer added: “I’m a big believer
in taking on people who are young and enthusiastic so that you can
teach and shape them to carry out the job in the way that you
want. They’re less likely to start the role with old, ‘bad’
habits!”
There are many Apprenticeship frameworks that
can benefit schools including: Business Administration; Children’s
Care; IT Systems Support and IT Users. Bringing younger
workers into schools, particularly in the support staff area,
offers great value for money and can help reduce the number of
young people at risk from unemployment.
As far as the apprentices themselves are
concerned, the scheme increases their confidence in the workplace
and makes them more able to be proactive and forthcoming with ideas
and suggestions than when they first start work.
To find out more about the Bedford College
Apprenticeship scheme click
here or come along to our Apprenticeship Breakfast Event on 4
February 2010 where you can meet and talk to employers who
are currently taking advantage of the scheme. Places are limited so
book
on-line now to avoid disappointment or call 01234
291390.