Apprenticeships
What are they and are they relevant to the third sector?; It sounds a bit like Train to Gain...?; Additional financial support to take on 16 and 17 year old apprentices; Third Sector Apprenticeships framework; Third Sector Apprenticeships support; For more information
What are they and are they relevant to the Third Sector?
Julia Brady from the National Apprenticeships Service explains:
"Apprenticeships are a work-based learning programme designed around the needs of your organisation. There are over 190 Apprenticeships to choose from in over 80 sectors, many very relevant to the Voluntary and Community Sector, including Community Development, Youth Work, Social Care, Advice & Guidance, Administration, Finance, Management, Customer Service and IT.
Apprenticeships can develop your workforce and bring in new skills in order to help you make your organisation more robust and successful. If you would like to explore how Apprenticeships can benefit your organisation or the organisations you work with, the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) is keen to help. NAS offers end to end support for employers, individuals who wish to become apprentices, their parents and other service users.
Apprenticeships are part of the fabric of British Industry, with a rich source of talent to help improve productivity and for your business to be more competitive."
See here for launch information.
It sounds a bit like Train to Gain...?
The key difference between Train to Gain and Apprenticeships is the training element of the programme, known as a technical certificate. Apprenticeships involve a substantial amount of learning as well as on the job assessment. The training will be delivered by a registered provider. The National Apprenticeships Service is also one of the few things that the Conservatives and Labour agree on, with both parties keen to see this programme progress to help meet employment targets etc.
Additional financial support to take on 16-17 year old apprentices
See here for details of a scheme to provide an additional £2,500 (on top of the training costs already met by the National Apprenticeships Service) to organisations to take on 16 and 17 year old apprentices. Scheme closes end of March 2010.
Third Sector Apprenticeships framework
Skills - Third Sector are developing an apprenticeship framework to set out the knowledge and skills an apprentice should gain while training on the job. There is a survey for Third Sector organisations to tell them what they think so that Skills - Third Sector can write a framework that meets the needs of third sector organisations. See here for survey. Ends 28 April 2010.
Third Sector Apprenticeships support
Fair Train helps charities, social enterprises and other not for profit organisations to fund, recruit and train apprentices. See here for their website.
For more information
To speak to someone in Norfolk about Apprenticeships, Laura Smith of Broadland Council Training Services, and a member of the Norfolk Unites Steering Group, will be happy to answer any enquiries. Email Laura or call 01603 785832.
Go to www.Apprenticeships.org.uk. If you would like to access NAS support please make an enquiry via the Home Page. On the website is a list of apprenticeships available and lots of other useful information. The vacancy matching system will enable you to search by sector and geographically so that you can see who delivers what in your area. The training offer must match the employment offer. You can then apply for an apprentice based on that. It is even possible to share your apprentice with another organisation if you feel you don't have enough work for them to do with you individually, as long as it is the same training and role offered by all parties.
