The Panel considered the report of the Head of
Communities, Change and Partnership, reviewing employer experiences
of apprenticeships; recruitment; training; and support.
Ian Smith, Employer Account Manager from the
National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) outlined their experience
with dealing with the employers:-
- Large employers (250+ staff) have
access to a dedicated account manager – however these
managers cover a wide area.
- Target those employers not currently
engaged
- Small and medium size businesses
have access to reactive telephone support based in Bristol for this
area.
- Currently have a 1 year fixed posted
dedicated to 16-18 year old recruitment. As numbers, nationally, are down in this age
range.
- Work closely with many of the
training providers, local authorities and other agencies.
- Live vacancies report for
Southampton was circulated
- National apprenticeship week
- Explained different levels of
apprenticeships, from traineeships, for those youngsters that need
extra support, to higher level apprentices.
- Work closely with Council to target
employers in the City, however more could probably be done.
- Support for disadvantaged
youngsters.
- Pre-apprenticeship scheme, based on
a level 2, which it was hoped would allow the youngsters to move
onto a full apprenticeship.
- Work closely in partnership with the
Wheatsheaf Trust, plus the Rainbow
Project.
- Placements where the hope was always
for permanent employment to be offered.
- Ensuring that the message was
getting out to the employers of all sizes. Need to look at other avenues on how to reach the
employers and the best time to hold events for them.
- Colleges need to be flexible with
the course times that they offer to ensure they fit with the needs
of the employer.
Anthony Dimmick,
from Barratt Homes, outlined how they were working with the SCC
Employment and Skills Plans:-
- Working with the Southampton City
Council has been very successful and they were now trying as a
company to role out the same system with other authorities.
- Role of community liaison.
- Look at the number of youngsters
that start schemes and actually successfully finish them.
- Issues surrounding 16-18 year olds
and insurance, especially on building sites.
- Transport issues for youngster as
there placements move as the sites change.
- Helping youngsters maximise what
they have. Many do not fit the dictated
criteria but were still able to engage.
- Example of Employment Skills Plan
for Hinkler Parade
Anita Esser, from
University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, outlined
apprenticeship recruitment issues faced by them as a large
employer. A handout was circulated on
the areas covered:-
- Training provider.
- They employ over 8000 staff in the
areas that they offer apprenticeship schemes in.
- Cover many areas, not just
Health. e.g.
administration; call centres; engineering.
- Work hard on partnerships with High
Education providers.
- Provide support to move staff on but
need to support further.
- Try to recruit to substantive posts
where possible, rather than just bringing in apprentices in
addition to the staffing levels.
- Areas within Trust that have an
aging workforce, such as estates management, that need new qualified staff.
- Many of their apprentices were in
the 20-30 age range, with very few 16-18 year olds – felt
that this was a cultural issue within the NHS about being too young
to be in a clinical role. Currently
investigating traineeship/ cadetship at BTEC level to run a pilot
to be able to place more within this age group.
- Many levels of apprenticeship from
basic up the higher levels, with a bespoke foundation degree course
to allow access/ progression onto the nursing degree.
Mark Burnett and Debbie van Coller, from SCC gave details of the apprenticeship
recruitment with Housing Services within SCC:-
- Currently have 13 apprentices and
were looking to take on more.
- Open day being held for invited
young people who had expressed an interest in future
apprenticeships.
- Work with the local colleges –
need further work on ensuring they get the appropriate
feedback.
- Involved with the schools however
would like to extend this and promote apprenticeships
further. And also target children at a
younger age.
- Concerns that there was a perception
by many children, parents and schools that apprenticeships are
second class option in comparison to attending 6th
form. Need to make them aware that
qualifications would be gained on an apprenticeship.
- Had only be offering trade areas however were keen to move
into other areas. e.g. Housing
officers. Have worked with colleges to
find appropriate courses close by. City
College have organised a course to start in September.
- Rainbow project –
pre-apprenticeship scheme for those that do not hold the necessary
qualifications to start an apprenticeship and or maybe have other
issues.
- Redbridge School currently have 13
pupils out of mainstream lessons involved in trade
work. Positive benefits. Many other pupils want to join the scheme.
- Careers advise needs to be improved.
Information provided needs to cover
what was available and how it was delivered.
Russell Chisard,
training manager from Wessex Regional Care outlined the experience
they had with recruiting apprentices:-
- Business was to provide support
living, and although in some units they have 4 to 5 staff, there
were other areas where they only have 1 or 2 staff so there has
been the issue of not being able to work alone until they were 18
years old.
- Although lots of interest was
expressed, they only interviewed 2 candidates. Appointment was working out well. Started working in November with college course
commencing in February. In house
training was also taking place.
David Pollard, a member of the Central
Southampton branch of the Federation of Small Businesses, and also
had a regional role for Education, gave an overview of issues for
small business:-
·
Many business very small and often work from home offices, however
over half of apprentices were employed by small businesses.
·
Keen to encourage more small businesses to become involved.
·
Importance of building links between employers and schools.
·
Many events around the region within the next 12 months with NAS to
get the message across. Found the best
way was face to face.
·
Need to promote the completion of apprenticeships in the same way
people graduate from University.
·
Need to ensure the schools were part of the process. Get the governors involved.
·
Funding available was an “attention grabber” however
felt that it was not the major factor in businesses making the
decision to have an apprentice.
·
Business find that there were many factors they needed to address
when they have their first apprentice, such as insurance; and on
the job training, however the second time around it was much easier
for them.