SKILLS


The skills debate and the link with education


With existing skills shortages further exacerbated by the uncertainty surrounding the future for EU nationals in the UK, Jane Lowe (pictured), Acting Head of Apprenticeships at the University of Derby, talks about what can be done to address the skills gap for the region’s employers.


Month after month, it is widely reported that UK employers are finding it more challenging to fill vacancies. In the last Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) report, recruitment agencies registered an increase in demand across a range of more than 60 roles, including engineers, IT specialists, care workers and accountants. All this without the threat of restrictions on immigrants once the UK has


left the EU. Young people leaving school


are a key part of the solution. The Government has pledged three million new apprentices by 2020, with targets set for public sector organisations to make at least 2.3% of their workforce apprentices. To help the Government reach


its target, the Apprenticeship Levy, charged at a rate of 0.5% on pay bills over £3m, was launched in April to fund new apprenticeships. Since then, the University of Derby has worked with local employers to develop more opportunities in apprenticeships.


The University of Derby was


recently awarded Gold for Teaching Excellence by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and is committed to delivering a real-world learning experience, understanding that apprenticeships can increase company productivity, ensure the retention of skills in the region, support succession planning and enhance opportunities for our apprentices. Businesses have approached the


university’s Business Services Apprenticeship Hub directly to discuss the challenges they face in filling vacancies. We have been able to respond with apprenticeships that give our students experience, but also give employers more confidence that their apprentices will develop the skills needed to make an impact on their business. Working in partnership with


local employers including Rolls- Royce and Derbyshire Community Health Services, the university will be launching five degree apprenticeships from September 2017, including Nursing, Civil Engineering Site Manager, Digital


The Government has pledged three million new apprentices by 2020


and Technological Solutions: Cyber Security Analyst, Aerospace Engineer and Chartered Manager. Each one supports the recruitment for roles shown to have the biggest increase in demand in the REC report. We have already experienced


how an apprenticeship can positively impact on a sector. Our Assistant Practitioner apprenticeship addresses the skills deficit in the healthcare sector


with 120 apprentices currently on the programme. The existing workforce in the


minerals technology industry has an average age of 55. With a lack of new entrants into the sector, large businesses such as Tarmac, Aggregate Industries and Hanson UK have invested in apprenticeships with the Centre for Mineral Products Professional Development at the University of Derby, which has recruited 80 apprentices.


Apprenticeships: what are the benefits?


CT Skills, an independent learning provider with over 20 years’ experience delivering training solutions to businesses in the East Midlands, looks at the positive impact apprenticeships make. Thousands of young adults across the East Midlands have recently discovered their GCSE exam results. That means they’re now tasked with


choosing the next major path in their lives after spending the past decade at school. Such a huge decision can be overwhelming and stressful. However, there is a basic choice they have to make: whether to go to


university or forge a career straight away. If university is a route they want to go down, they will have to complete


two years of studying for A-Levels and then at least three years of university. For some careers, a degree is vital or even compulsory. But spending at least five years in academia is only delaying their entry into the workplace. This means they are not earning money and not gaining work- related skills and experience – while also spending at least £9,000 each year at university. CT Skills is also finding that businesses agree and are starting to realise


the benefits to their company by taking on apprentices and working with them throughout their careers. A shift towards quality apprenticeships is needed if we are to address


the much-publicised skills and productivity gap in the UK. Apprenticeships address skills shortages within companies, they upskill


the workforce, and they reduce staff turnover. The result of this is increased productivity and the ability to attract some of the brightest local talent to join and stay with the business. The Government is investing £3bn to create three million apprenticeships by


Matt Bennett (19), is one of many CT Skills’ exam leavers to be benefitting from an apprenticeship


48 business network September 2017


the year 2020. To make use of the new Government funding, businesses are required to form a partnership with an authorised training provider. In 2016, CT Skills provided training to over 4,000 learners across the East Midlands.


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