“The employer benefi ts from enthusiastic, fresh talent that can literally be moulded to the needs of the individual company”


From this year, training


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skills on the job. Operators are also able to tailor their training programmes specifically to meet the needs of the business and of their customers.” Florence Orban, chief executive of the National Skills Academy, adds:


“Gaining the right qualifications in sport or active leisure offers a young person the chance to turn a hobby or sporting passion into a career, while filling sector skills gaps at the same time.” It seems many providers have noticed


a shift in attitude among employers toward vocational training programmes. Elaine Barrett, chief executive at Ethical Skills & Training, comments: “Attitudes towards vocational training have changed radically over the past few years, with industries like the health and fitness sector discovering the value that apprentices bring to their bottom line. The reality is that the young apprentices we work with have proved to be committed and enthusiastic employees.” Jones confirms: “The main advantage


to an employer of having a structured workforce development strategy, such as the apprenticeship route, is staff retention. When young people begin to


june 2011 © cybertrek 2011


look for career options, they are not only looking for a job but a career with prospects – if an individual can see that a company can offer career development, then that company is immediately more appealing. Meanwhile, the employer is able to grow the apprentice to adequately fill more senior roles with home-grown talent.”


a new direction With a recognised demand for apprentices from employers, this year has seen apprenticeship programmes move from programme-led (PLA) to employer-led (ELA). This means that a training provider must now secure an employment placement for the individual prior to enrolment. Wallace comments: “Employer-led


apprenticeships have the ability to unlock the potential of the learner; the apprentice can often benefit from a provider’s wealth of employer contacts to help them to secure a job. The operator also benefits from enthusiastic, fresh talent that can literally be moulded to the needs of the individual company – 93 per cent of employers


we work with rate the training our apprentices receive as good/excellent.” An operator that works closely


with Lifetime to upskill and develop its new and existing staff is DC Leisure. Richard Millard, sports development and operations support director at DC Leisure, says: “A set of employees who are fully trained with role-relevant qualifications is the most valuable asset that can differentiate a club and impact upon its customers’ experiences.” However, some training providers


feel that the industry could do more to support apprentices. Denise Page, director at YMCAfit, says: “Once an apprentice completes their training, they may find themselves thrown in at the deep end – in most cases with little or no supervision at work. Given that they have someone’s life in their hands, this is not ideal. “YMCAfit is already working with


employers to find new ways to rectify this – for example, improving workplace assessment and on-the- job training. We think this will be of massive benefit to the apprentices and, ultimately, the industry.”


Read Health Club Management online at healthclubmanagement.co.uk/digital 63


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