Issue - meetings

Report of the Service Director, Human Resources and Organisational Development informing the Panel of the Council’s approach to maximising apprenticeships within its workforce, attached.

The Panel considered the report of the Service Director, Human Resources and Organisational Development informing the Panel of the Council’s approach to maximising apprenticeships within its workforce.

Fiona Watton, Service Lead – HR Development, Justine Taylor-Knightbridge, Lead Apprenticeships Advisor and Hilary Brooks, Service Director, Children and Families Services were present and, with the consent of the Chair, addressed the meeting.  In discussions with the officers, the Panel noted the following:

•  HR were working closely with the Pathways Team, and local organisations who are currently providing support, to deliver targeted assistance for care leavers;

•  Through the Apprenticeship First approach it has been proposed that care leavers are guaranteed interviews when applying for apprenticeship opportunities;

•  A communications plan was in development to support the initiatives and to raise the profile of apprenticeships for young people;

•  Funding is available to support the Council’s approach;

•  At present most care leavers were not ready to become apprentices when they leave school.  Work to support looked after children become ‘job ready’ will commence earlier and will include taster sessions.  This will take a period of time to deliver required outcomes;

•  It is recognised that improving the educational attainment of looked after children is key, linked to the actions of the Virtual School and working with foster carers.

•  Data on previous apprenticeship initiatives employed by the Council was limited and that no information exists on employing care leavers as apprentices within the local authority;

•  Through the ‘Developing Talent’ strand there exists the opportunity to enhance retraining/upskilling/cross-skilling of staff in professional areas to meet business needs as part of wider workforce planning;

•  The Capita contract includes reference to employing apprentices.

RESOLVED that the Panel requested:

(i)  That appropriate performance information is collected on the provision of apprenticeships in the Council to enable the Panel to effectively challenge outcomes and track progress in 2018/19; and

(ii)  That officers seek to maximise apprenticeship opportunities by exploring the potential to link the developing SCC approach with the commitment to supporting apprenticeships within the Capita contract.