How To Maximise The Apprenticeship Opportunity Event

Earlier this month Sarah McKenna HR Recruitment and Michaela Reaney, of The Opportunity Group, welcomed HR professionals from across the region to participate in an event titled – How To Maximise The Apprenticeship Opportunity.

Headquartered in the north east, The Opportunity Group is an apprenticeship provider run by Michaela and co-founder Kate Temple-Brown. Having found themselves frustrated at the lack of resources available to those hoping to develop and progress in the workplace, Reaney and Temple-Brown partnered up and set about finding a solution. Established just over five years ago, the organisation helps employers unlock the power of development in their staff.

‘Talent is distributed evenly, but opportunity is not’ is a phrase coined – and then trademarked – by The Opportunity Group and it is this sentence that acts as a driving force for the business to continue its brilliant work around apprenticeships.

The session:

Michaela kicked the event off with a quick myth-buster quiz to test the attendees knowledge of the apprenticeship realm. How many apprenticeship programmes are there? What is the age limit for apprenticeships? And, can you do an apprenticeship if you already have a degree? Were just a few of the questions. The attendees’ answers provided a pretty mixed bag, so to clear a few things up – let’s take a look at what an apprenticeship is and why apprenticeships are a good idea below…

What is an apprenticeship?

Apprenticeships combine hands-on work experience with off-the-job training (studying for formal qualifications)
As a minimum, apprenticeships must be at least 12 months and 1 day long
Apprenticeships are long-term development, not sharp, quick-fix learning
Programmes are delivered in a modular format, meaning that learning is divided into small, manageable sections
They are open to people of all ages and any background
Apprenticeships provide nationally recognised qualifications
There are currently 658 apprenticeship standards to choose from
There is something called a ‘trailblazer’ standard which allows organisations to identify a gap for learning, allowing them to create and customise their own standard to fit their business model perfectly
Trailblazer models are great because they are unique, innovative and really fit for purpose, however, creating a trailblazer standard is a lengthy process and requires proof that there is demand from other organisations for such a standard to be created/available
Currently, there are around 400 standards in process which are still yet to be approved and remain in the development stages
Apprenticeships are postcode dependant, the standards available are subject to the learner’s home address – standards in Wales and Scotland are different to those available in England

Why choose apprenticeships?

Apprenticeships provide a clear path for retention and succession planning
Apprenticeships offer an opportunity for talent acquisition
Apprenticeship programmes can support mental health and increase financial wellbeing
Apprenticeships help companies address Diversity, Equality and Inclusion – employers can use programmes to open the business up and attract many different people from the population – for example – The Bank of England delivered its first programme two years ago, welcoming many individuals to the organisation as data technicians, 80% of these individuals were people of colour

Sarah McKenna HR How To Maximise The Apprenticeship Opportunity

Reaney then dove into what the ideal framework for embedding an apprenticeship in the workplace looks like, starting with the SET acronym – standing for Strategy, Engagement and Training Provider. Strategising is key when considering if an apprenticeship is right for your company; Reaney suggests starting with the end in mind, what are you looking to achieve and can you measure the success a programme may have? This is vital thinking, especially when talking about feeding back to stakeholders – it has to be crystal clear what impact it will have on your business.

In terms of engagement, it’s a must to have everyone on board from the start. Learners, line managers, and stakeholders should all be aware of exactly what an apprenticeship entails, expectations can then be set and everyone should be committed to the programme and any involvement that’s necessary on their behalf, from mentoring to signing off day release in order for the apprentice to complete their work.

Finally, choosing a suitable training provider and selecting the right standard will form the basis of success. Organisations should work in tandem with the training provider to deliver a model that has been co-designed to suit business needs. An apprenticeship should naturally meld with the employee’s day-to-day activities and offer a harmonious balance between on-hands experience and studying for qualifications.

Summary:

All in all, the How To Maximise The Apprenticeship Opportunity event was a superb success with a warm, interactive room of attendees who weren’t shy to ask questions and share their concerns.

This blog is just a short summary of the event to provide insight on the wonderful benefits of embedding apprenticeships, but to learn more, please download and stream The Opportunity Group’s podcast series – ‘Opportunity, The Apprenticeship Podcast’. The series supplies bite-sized clips on how to set up your apprenticeship strategy, how to choose a provider, the difference between open and closed cohorts, and various other interesting topics.