66 APPRENTICESHIPS
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Elliot Brown, account manager at Training 2000, says: “Apprenticeships are extremely cost- effective when it comes to training existing and new staff members and are also a great way to breed loyalty. A good team can make all the difference in a business and apprenticeships can aid in creating these teams. And with the current uncertainty, high calibre candidates are exploring apprenticeship options as well as degree apprenticeships as an equal pathway.”
The delivery of training has become much more complex during the pandemic.
Gareth Lindsay, managing director of North Lancs Training Group (NLTG), explains: “The pandemic has positively changed apprenticeship delivery forever.”
NLTG apprenticeships were delivered entirely on employer premises, but the training provider had already invested significantly in new technologies and started to consider different models of learning.
Further enhancements meant it was able to adapt quickly to the new landscape, introducing 100 per cent remote learner sign-on and “virtual apprenticeship” delivery.
Gareth says: “Our model continues to evolve, with all NLTG apprenticeships now delivered via a blended face-to-face and virtual delivery model. Employers have welcomed the flexibilities afforded by the new model and the benefits of remote learning, including the further development of learner IT, communication, adaptability and resilience skills.”
Linzi Monks, head of apprenticeships and employer engagement at Preston’s College, says: “Coronavirus has had a radical impact on
us all, for apprentices it has been double the impact as their education and their employment has seen significant change.
“Across many sectors apprentices were furloughed, they were able to carry on with theoretical components of their off-the-job training, however they were missing the development of practical skills and the critical element of 80 per cent on-the-job training.
“Some apprentices were faced with redundancy leaving them with no income and limited opportunity to find another apprenticeship. In specific sectors apprentices became key workers overnight, forcing them to take breaks in their apprenticeship.”
However, Linzi adds: “Providers of apprenticeships are adapting their delivery models and patterns to support remote delivery where appropriate and minimise the risks of face-to-face delivery to apprentices that all work within different employers.
“Remote delivery is a positive impact, making apprenticeships a more accessible option to most.
“Apprenticeship applications have not fallen. The start of the 20/21 academic year saw a higher number of 16-18-year-olds starting full time education and an increased number of adult learners looking for apprenticeships.”
Lisa Kennery, payroll, marketing and HR director at Blackburn-based accountancy firm Pierce, says industries can be slow to realise that apprenticeships have moved beyond traditional roles and can now be used for a wide range of roles across a vast spectrum of companies.
She says: “Apprenticeships shouldn’t be seen as an entry level qualification; they can be used in all
areas and levels of a business. They are a cost- effective way of hiring trainees into the business providing a theoretical and practical framework.
“Take our professional sector for example, our accounting trainees can complete their professional qualifications whilst gaining a level 7 apprenticeship which is equivalent to a Masters degree.”
Burnley-based +24 bridges the gap between employer and training provider. Founded as a digital marketing agency, it has launched its own training academy.
Managing director Dave Walker says: “Having the opportunity to learn from experienced professionals is vital for the long-term economy. Apprenticeships create viable opportunities for personal and professional advancement without the time and financial implications associated with a university degree.
“We engage with businesses and explain digital apprenticeships provide employees who are expertly trained, not just in technical skills, but business skills necessary to thrive.
“Our data suggests that former apprentices stay at their company for far longer than those that gained equivalent skills through traditional education.”
National Apprenticeship Week 2021 will take place from 8 to 14 February 2021. Visit
apprenticeships.gov.uk to find out more, or speak with any of the providers included in this feature.
Register here for the Lancashire Apprenticeships Conference 2020, hosted online by Lancashire Business View on Tuesday February 9, 10am to noon.
http://bit.ly/LBVac2021
BE IN CONTROL... of your success
TAKE CONTROL... Get in touch today to see how an apprentice can #BuildTheFuture of your business
businessdevelopment@t2000.co.uk | 01254 54659
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