Careers advice for budding apprentices

The Barclays LifeSkills Youth Barometer has highlighted that just a quarter of young people between the ages of 14-25 were told about apprenticeships in school. Kirstie Mackey, head of LifeSkills for Barclays, said careers advice was a crucial part of education, and found the figures troubling. She added: 

“While some young people will thrive through purely academic routes, others will fare better in vocational routes like apprenticeships. We see this first hand at Barclays, where we run both award-winning graduate and apprenticeship schemes side by side. The most important thing for any pupil is to know that they have options open to them whenever they leave full-time education.”

Having spoken to both students, parents, and Careers Officers within schools in Manchester at a few school events, and as part of market research conducted by The Apprentice Academy I have received similar feedback. Not in every case but there seems to be cases where students are advised that the University route is the best route to aspire to, as opposed to finding out what motivates the student the most and matching this to the most appropriate pathway, whether it be further studies, a full-time job, or an apprenticeship.

On the up side, over half of the 2,000 surveyed said they thought apprenticeships were the best way to land a job. Testimony to this can be found via apprentice testimonies 

The National Career Service offers some great information about apprenticeships in a range of areas as does the National Apprenticeship Service

Inspiring the Future is a national initiative to provide students with the opportunity to hear from local employers and gain an insight into the range of careers available to them. The National Apprenticeship Service has encouraged apprenticeship employers and apprentices to register to provide career talks at their local state secondary schools, 6th form and FE colleges to share their personal experience of Apprenticeships.

A workbook produced by National Career Service aims to help pupils make an informed choice about Apprenticeships. By working through this work book pupils will learn about Apprenticeships, the opportunities and prospects within vocational education and how to search and apply for Apprenticeships jobs.

There are some great sources of information out there for young people looking for advice on apprenticeships & taking the next steps in their career. As a starting point, you may wish to contact The Apprentice Academy on 0161 200 1673. Why not give us a call?

A few things you may not know about Apprenticeships

As you may already know, apprenticeship programmes offered by employers throughout the UK are on the rise. Many savvy students are realizing the benefits of considering an alternative to the traditional educational pathways including university, choosing to earn and learn on the job rather than burden themselves and more often their supportive parents with a mountainous university debt. In fact only recently an apprentice in Manchester recruited for Connections Recruitment pointed this out in a video about her experiences.

Employers across a wide range of sectors including legal, accountancy  transport, estate agencies, and social media, are starting up their own apprenticeship schemes in conjunction with local training providers such as The Apprentice Academy, in a bid to bring in raw talent which they can train up within their business.

Here are five things you might not know about apprenticeships:

1.Apprentices in London get cheap travel. First year apprentices aged 18+ who live in London get 30% off their travel., a big saving considering the cost ot travel in and around London When advertising for your apprenticeship role, this might be worth mentioning, as often travel costs can put people off applying for a position. Some employers consider offering apprentices a contribution towards their costs of travel where the vacancy is in an area that may be hard to fill.

 2.Employers don’t have to pay minimum wage. The National Minimum wage for apprentices currently is £2.68 per hour but some employers opt to pay apprentices more than this, especially for those living and working in London. Perhaps think about increasing the apprentice’s wage over time if their performance, commitment, and attitude reflect an increase.

 3. Apprentices bring lots of business benefits. One key benefit is that they can help boost your business’s reputation and make people more likely to use your services. Customers like to see businesses investing in young people in light of the current plight that young people face in terms of accessing the job market.

 4. Apprentices are also a valuable asset to the workforce. Research has shown apprentice’s boost productivity within businesses. They are passionate about the industry and eager to work their way up the career ladder. This is evident in a lot of organisations taking on apprentices in and around Manchester including the Cheshire based pharmaceutical giant Astra Zeneca.

 

5.Think you won’t find a suitable scheme? There are over 250 types of apprenticeship available in over 1,400 jobs. The Apprentice Academy offers a range of apprenticeship programmes including; Business Administration, Social Media and Digital Marketing, and Customer Service.

To find out more about apprenticeships at The Apprentice Academy call 0161 200 1673 or email recruitment@theapprenticeacademy.co.uk

Living a Legal Life

There's no denying it, apprenticeships in the legal sector are gaining momentum. The traditional route to becoming a lawyer has been challenged by, among other things, the Legal Education and Training Review which reported in June 2013, the rise of legal executives, an increase in paralegal numbers, and alternative business structures (ABS). Combining this with a rise in university tuition fees, which makes the appeal of starting a career in the legal profession without the need for an expensive degree an attractive option.

Since 2011, a number of law firms have been pledging their support to external apprenticeship schemes or launching their own apprenticeship schemes. Skills for Justice (SFJ) conducted a survey in 2012 of 51 firms and found that they are likely to increase the number of paralegals they employ by 18% over the next five years. More significantly, 83% of firms said they would be interested in taking on apprentices. 

Evidence of this can be found locally too. Hill Dickinson, an international law firm in Manchester, has recently expanded its office by hiring another 16 new members of staff, consisting of new associates, newly-qualified solicitors, trainees and apprentices. The new recruits are set to work in the employment and pensions, commercial litigation, health and fraud teams.

Partner and head of the Manchester office, Geraldine Ryan, said: “These latest additions to the team demonstrate our commitment to the Manchester market and our dedication to presenting a robust and experienced team that is able to offer our clients the very best service.

“We place great importance on nurturing young talent and look forward to encouraging the new assistants, trainees and apprentices develop within the firm.”

As part of the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce’s ‘Employer Ownership of Skills’ Apprenticeship Scheme, Hill Dickinson is employing 7 A-level school leavers who are interested in a career in legal services.

The apprenticeships in Business Administration with young people from The Apprentice Academy taking up positions with Hill Dickinson have proved to be a real success. The first apprentice to start with Hill Dickinson in January 2011 John Nuttall has now completed his apprenticeship and working towards his ILEX qualification. 

Rachel Capener who initially studied Law at A-Level now works as a Legal Assistant at Hill Dickinson and started in October 2012. She has a varied role providing secretarial support for office staff and preparing case papers for Counsel. Sarah Grant who manages both Rachel and John has some positive feedback on their contributions to the business. To hear a lot more about life as an apprentice in the legal profession, check out this video

At the recent Insider Dealmaker of the Year Awards 2013, Hill Dickinson were also “Highly Commended” as part of the Legal Team of the Team of the Year award

To find out more about apprenticeships at The Apprentice Academy call 0161 200 1673 or email recruitment@theapprenticeacademy.co.uk 

Employability Skills - Part 2

In the second part of my two part blog I would like to continue the discussion relating to Employability Skills. As a recap, employability skills can be defined as the transferable skills needed by an individual to make them ‘employable’. Along with good technical understanding and subject knowledge, employers often outline a set of skills that they want from an employee.

These skills are what they believe will equip the employee to carry out their role to the best of their ability. Employability depends on your knowledge, skills and attitudes, how you use those assets, and how you present them to employers. This is important for everyone who may be just starting out on their career such as apprentices through to people looking for a career change.

In part one, we looked at the Top 10 Employability Skills compiled by a range of UK-based companies and their actual definitions. Companies were asked to define exactly what these skills mean (see part 1). For The Apprentice Academy who deliver interview training to equip Social Media & Business Apprentices with the skills they need for an interview, it is vital they are aware of these.

Below is a list of these top 10 employability skills and more detail about how young people can use their existing experience, knowledge and skills gained during their school / college & their experiences outside of the classroom & how these examples can be used within the interview / assessment arena. 

1 Communication and interpersonal skills: 

>Evidence from school / college:

I presented the findings of a Science coursework project as a report and PowerPoint presentation to the rest of my Science class.

Evidence from outside the classroom:

I am part of a debating club / society that helps my communication and interpersonal skills greatly.

2 Problem solving skills: 

>Evidence from school / college:

I was set a project within Design & Technology to build a component, but it stopped working. My approach was to start at the beginning of the circuit and work through all the connections until I found the part that was not working.

Evidence from outside the classroom:

As part of my Duke of Edinburgh Award I had to evaluate the information on a map and the weather forecast to decide which was the best route to a set checkpoint.

3 Using your initiative and being self-motivated: 

>Evidence from school / college:

For our coursework on electrical circuits I was the only one in class who chose 
to research how they are used in companies to get a real-life perspective.

Evidence from outside the classroom:

At a temping job over the summer, the manager was not around to see me on my first morning, so I introduced myself to the other team members and offered my services until my manager arrived

4 Working under pressure and to deadlines: 

>Evidence from school / college:

I planned out my exam revision timetable so that I gave myself enough time for each subject.

Evidence from outside the classroom:

On a bridge building project at school, we ran out of an essential piece of kit 5 minutes before the deadline, but quickly modified the bridge using what was left and finished on time.

5 Organisational skills: 

>Evidence from school / college:

I handed my GCSE Science coursework in 3 days before the deadline as I had planned my time well and finished it to the best of my ability.

Evidence from outside the classroom:

I was part of the School Leavers’ Ball organising committee and devised a project plan so that we could keep on track with planning.

These are just a few examples. If you are an apprentice in Manchester looking to jump on the career ladder, why not have a go at completing the next 5 employability skills as above? Happy to help out: jb@theapprenticeacademy.co.uk 

6 Team working: 
7 Ability to learn and adapt: 
8 Numeracy: 
9 Valuing diversity and difference: 

10 Negotiation skills: 

Contributing companies to the survey include Astra Zeneca who have a number of apprentices working for them and recruited by the Apprentice Academy - 0161 200 1673

Employability Skills: Part 1

In the first of a two part blog I would like to look at one of the hot topics that has been bouncing around in education, training, & recruitment, that of Employability Skills. Employability skills can be defined as the transferable skills needed by an individual to make them ‘employable’. Along with good technical understanding and subject knowledge, employers often outline a set of skills that they want from an employee.

These skills are what they believe will equip the employee to carry out their role to the best of their ability. Employability depends on your knowledge, skills and attitudes, how you use those assets, and how you present them to employers. This is important for everyone who may be just starting out on their career such as apprentices through to people looking for a career change.

The list below has been compiled by a range of UK-based companies and it lists the Top 10 Employability Skills which they look for in potential employees. Companies were asked to define exactly what these skills mean, and how you could show evidence of these skills in an interview or application for a job. For The Apprentice Academy who deliver interview training to equip Social Media & Business Apprentices with the skills they need for an interview, it is vital they are aware of these.

Below is more detail about what these employability skills actually are. In my next blog I will focus on what they actually mean to young people starting out on their career & how they can use them effectively as part on a first interview for a modern apprenticeship. 

1 Communication and interpersonal skills: The ability to explain what you mean in
a clear and concise way through written and spoken means. To listen and relate
to other people, and to act upon key information / instructions.

2 Problem solving skills: The ability to understand a problem by breaking it down into smaller parts, and identifying the key issues, implications and identifying solutions. To apply your knowledge from many different areas to solving a task.

3 Using your initiative and being self-motivated: Having new ideas of your own which can be made into a reality. Showing a strong personal drive and not waiting to be told to do things.

4 Working under pressure and to deadlines: Handling stress that comes with deadlines and ensuring that you meet them.

5 Organisational skills: Being organised and methodical. Able to plan work to meet deadlines and targets. Monitoring progress of work to ensure you are on track to meeting a deadline.

6 Team working: Working well with other people from different disciplines, backgrounds, and
expertise to accomplish a task or goal.

7 Ability to learn and adapt: To be enthusiastic about your work, and to identify ways to learn from your mistakes for the benefit of both you and your employer.

8 Numeracy: The ability to use data and mathematics to support evidence or demonstrate a point.

9 Valuing diversity and difference: Knowing the value of diversity and what it can bring. Understanding and being considerate of the different needs of different individuals.


10 Negotiation skills: To take on board other people’s feelings and express your own requirements in an unemotional clear fashion to achieve a win-win outcome.

Contributing companies to the survey include Astra Zeneca who have a number of apprentices working for them and recruited by the Apprentice Academy - 0161 200 1673

Part two to follow soon

Get clicked on with a Digital Apprentice

The digital industry is now thriving and is set to be a leading source of employment in the years to come.

Manchester has already set out its vision to be one of the top 10 digital cities in the world, so watch this space. Due to rapid growth within this industry there is a distinct skills shortage of skilled people to fill the gaps and take up positions in a number of areas. University courses often fail to equip young people with the skills they need for digital roles, meaning they enter the workplace unprepared. This is where apprenticeships in Social Media & Digital Marketing can help. The Apprentice Academy is one of a number of training providers and Colleges offering these courses at level 3. A five day Career Ready Boot Camp during the first week of employment provides some of the skills and knowledge values by employers to ensure apprentices enter the workplace feeling confident and ready to make a positive impact.

 

Manchester Digital has recently partnered with the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) to create an apprenticeship scheme which intends to bridge the skills gap. Research has found that more than 50% of businesses in the North West were finding it difficult recruiting staff for digital roles and it is hoped that the partnership will create up to 450 apprenticeships in the region over the next two years.

Tony Foggett, chair of Manchester Digital, said: “Many employers in the sector are struggling to recruit staff with the necessary skills and competencies, and are now choosing to employ apprentices and train young people on the job instead, building skills needed through high quality apprenticeship offerings.”

Social media is an ever growing industry with a range of new and interactive platforms being developed all of the time. Businesses and organisations should be encouraged to get to take measures to ensure they stay ahead of the competition. Many companies have a social media strategy and staff dedicated to social media activity in their business. A lot of companies have benefited from hiring digital marketing apprentices who tend to be young and clued up on social media. With the guidance provided by a line manager, these apprentices can provide a return on investment and help with progression planning.

On Monday 2^nd and Tuesday 3^rd September, nearly 100 social media experts and researchers from 25 countries attended a conference organised by the University of Westminster’s Centre for Social Media Research (CSMR). Conferences and networking events provide an excellent way of keeping up to date with new developments in this industry as well as the plethora of on-line videos and courses available.

Add value to your business and free up time for your staff

I have recently started to follow a website which posts article relating to recruiting an apprentice and it was an article entitled 4 steps to take when hiring an apprentice by Lucy Smeddle at ApprenticeEye on 25^th July 2013 that took my eye… if you excuse the pun! Lucy wrote:

You’ve decided to hire an apprentice but aren’t quite sure where to start. Take a look at these tips on how to hit the ground running!

 1) Ensure you invest time choosing the right programme -Enrolling your apprentice on a scheme that allows them to gain professional qualifications while they train on-the-job will benefit the apprentice, who will learn skills, as well as your own business, which will benefit from their training.

2) Make use of the National Apprenticeship Service website - This website offers advice for employers, and also provides a space where employers can advertise vacancies and contact potential candidates.

3) Integrate the apprentice into the business and provide regular feedback - Due to their relative young age, often apprentices can tend to be shy and slightly under-confident. Businesses should be encouraging and offer regular updates on their progress. Giving an apprentice a mentor within the business can also help foster lasting professional relationships.

4) Be encouraging and motivating - We’re sure we don’t need to mention this, but by becoming a positive force in a young person’s life, you as an employer will build up their confidence whilst equipping them with the skills needed for success. It’s a win-win situation for all!

It is the last two points of this article which I found particularly interesting and the support that is required by both training providers and employer in the first few months of the apprentice starting work.

At The Apprentice Academy we have a team of Career Coaches who not only guide the apprentices through the apprenticeship framework, but provide pastoral support to ensure where possible they are happy and successful. We aim to ensure that apprentices start to add value to a business within the first eight work of starting with a company. For more information about how an apprentice can add value to your business in the “magic first eight weeks” click on the video below

In recognition of the hard work that apprentices contribute, employers and Career Coaches at The Apprentice Academy nominate apprentices for two awards; “Apprentice of The Month” and “Outstanding Achievement Award.” A recent winner of the former award is Iona at Become UK  and her employer outline in the video below how she has added value at Become UK and developed skills within the business.

For more information about how your business can add value and free up time for staff by taking on an apprentice today, call The Apprentice Academy on 0161 200 1673