VIEWS & OPINION rt


VIEWS & OPINIO N


Giving young people a head start – the benefit of apprentice ships in today’s’s Britain


Comment by STUART SEDDON, Chairman of Novus Property rt


According to our recent research, we had found that the UK is once again emerging as a hotbed for apprenticeships. Almost half of the respondents said they would accept an


apprenticeship in their chosen field if they were given the opportunity.


Working alongside universities,modern


apprenticeships aremaking amockery of the idea that academic progression and hands-on


experience aremutually exclusive. Young people can learn on-the-job, whilst studying in an area of their interest.


With further research, we have also uncovered that 54%of the UK do not think that young people are pressured to go to university, and that they are becomingmore aware of other available options .


The standards put in place for apprenticeship programs are ultra-professional and geared for a wide range of industries.Working with skilled employees, students can gain valuable knowledge that will set themapart in the jobsmarket.


Apprenticeships are not just aimed at the


progression of apprentices – they’re also amassive help to employers looking to add to their team. The quality of learning has helped shift the perception of apprenticeships, bringing about a fresh and progressive attitude. As industries get more inclusive, diverse and open to new ventures, the opportunities for young people have multiplied.


New and exciting industries are now getting involved, and the time where apprenticeships were largelymade up of themore traditional, ‘hands-on’ trades is long gone.


It is vital that firms recognise the value of


apprenticeship schemes and their power to enrich people’s lives. Apprentices have been amajor f ocus at Novus for the last 75 years an d the success of our scheme is reflected at board level; all but onemember of the company’s board of irectors were teenagers when they joined the rm, and we all learned our trade through the ovus apprenticeship scheme.


N fi d


ty Solutions


The experience of being an apprentice is one that gets passed down through families, and we have gained enormous strength fromthe family connections that can be found in all areas of our company. Nowaday s, companies can use socia l media to communicate with the families and guardians of their apprentices, ensuring young recruits are happy and safe at work.


Rather than aiming to simply upskill young people as quickly as possible, apprenticeships should help themgrow and develop in all areas of their work. Those of ourselves remember working alongside c


olleagues with 20 or 30 years being 16 or 17 years old, us who were apprentices


of experience, and howmuch we learned from those people - we want to share that learning with future generati ons .


Employing an apprenticemakes the hiring process simpler, and allows you to promote from within your company and oversee the growth of your apprentice.


The magic ingredient on your journey to outstanding


Comment by SONIA GILL, Founder and Director, Heads Up Ltd


Getting to good is hard work, I’m in schools every day and I see that first hand. However becoming outstanding can be a bit of a mystery. I know heads who can walk into a “requires improvement” school (or worse) and turn it around to b “e good”; some specialise in this. But getting to “outstanding” is different, harder, and it’s not as easy to pin down. And as yet I’ve not met a head who can do this in the same way others can get a school to good. For a school to be good they have to make sure certain things are in place, it’s like a long tick list of things that have to be done every day. It’s a tough list and making sure it’s consistently in place is hard work, there’s no denying that nor that getting a school to good and keeping there is a big achievement i n itsel f.


But outstanding…how do you get there? There’s not a tick-list for it. I hear heads saying in frustration ‘we’re working harder, faster, smarter and yet we can’t seem to break this glass ceiling of good’.


Novemb e r 2016 2016


But outstanding…how do you get there? There’s not a tick-list for it. I hear heads saying in frustration ‘we’re working harder, faster, smarter and yet we can’t seem to break this glass ceiling of good’.


Getting to good is hard work, I’m in schools every day and I see that first hand. However becoming outstanding can be a bit of a mystery. I know heads who can walk into a “requires improvement” school (or worse) and turn it around to be “good”; some specialise in this. But getting to “outstanding” is different, harder, and it’s not as easy to pin down. And as yet I’ve not met a head who can do this in the same way others can get a school to good. For a school to be good they have to make sure certain things are in place, it’s like a long tick list of things that have to be done every day. It’s a tough list and making sure it’s consistently in place is hard work, there’s no denying that nor that getting a school to good and keeping there is a big achievement in itself.


Why is that? Here’s what I have found. The magic ingredient that makes a school outstanding is its high performing culture. I’ve walked into a lot of schools, I’ve met a lot of heads, and when it comes to outstanding head Is pro a y now more of them than anyone else. And what’s evident from the moment you walk into the school (and often before that!) is that they have created an amazing culture. But the problem with culture is:


b bl k


1)Most of us don’t know how to create it 2) It takes time (at least 2 years in most cases) 3) It’s a moveable feast, an organic being


3) It’s a moveable feast, an organic being in itself


in itself


But culture is a major commonality I see in outstanding schools, with that in place they can get great results while delivering an incredible, holistic education.


But culture is a major commonality I see in outstanding schools, with that in place they can get great results while delivering an incredible, holistic education.


So how do you create a culture? The fact is you have one already, culture forms as soon as


So how do you create a culture? The fact is you have one already, culture forms as soon as


1) Most of us don’t know how to create it 2) It takes time (at least 2 years in most cases)


Why is that? Here’s what I have found. The magic ingredient that makes a school outstanding is its high performing culture. I’ve walked into a lot of schools, I’ve met a lot of heads, and when it comes to outstanding heads I probably know more of them than anyone else. And what’s evident from the moment you walk into the school (and often before that!) is that they have created an amazing culture. But the problem with culture is:


Comment by SONIA GILL, Founder and Director, Heads Up Ltd


a group of people come together regularly; the difference is high performing cultures are created with intention, by design. To do that


1)Make sure peopl e you need to:


know where you’re goin g


a group of people come together regularly; the difference is high performing cultures are created with intention, by design. To do that you need to:


1) Make sure people know where you’re going and why (have a compelling vision and values that excite people, just knowing them is not enough)


and why (have a compelling vision and values that excite people, just knowing them is not enough)


2) Talk to people when they are not in line with your culture, this means having those difficult conversations about performance and behaviour when it’s out of kilter


2) Talk to people when they are not in line with your culture, this means having those difficult conversations about performance and behaviour when it’s out of kilter


3) Be committed to growing the skills of your team, joyfully; develop them so they can be and feel brilliant about their work – nothing pays like developing your team


consistently and you’ll start to see your culture develop and that once-impenetrable ceiling of “good” will start to melt away as you move forward on your jour


Do these three things really well and consistently and you’ll start to see your culture develop and that once-impenetrable ceiling of “good” will start to melt away as you move forward on your journey to “outstanding”.


Do these three things really well and www. wwweducation-toda y.co.uk


.co.uk 91 ney to “outstanding”.


3) Be committed to growing the skills of your team, joyfully; develop them so they can be and feel brilliant about their work – nothing pays like developing your team


Themagic ingredient on your jo urne y to outstandin g


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