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Apprenticeships

‘Apprenticeships enable businesses to have the right people, with the right skills, at the right time’

More than 130,000 businesses employ 250,000 apprentices in England alone, and there are numerous benefits for both. Employers gain a highly motivated and loyal workforce that helps boost productivity and makes a positive difference to their business from day one, and individuals improve their skills and career prospects whilst continuing to learn and earn a wage.

By employing an Apprentice employers gain motivated, skilled workers who are very familiar with the particular issues of their sectors.

What are Apprenticeships?

Apprenticeships are work based training programmes designed around the needs of employers, which lead to nationally recognised qualifications. They enable young people a way to continue learning while working and gaining National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs). Apprenticeships can be used as a means to recruit new staff into an organization or they can be used to offer existing staff professional development.

Most of the Apprenticeship takes place ‘on the job’ where apprentices gain the practical skills businesses require by working alongside existing staff. There will also be some ‘off the job learning’ delivered at the college or on employers premises.

Apprenticeship (NVQ Level 2) – equivalent to five good GCSE passes

Advanced Apprenticeship (NVQ Level 3) – equivalent to two A level passes

Completion of the Apprenticeship framework shows employers that their staff have achieved competence, knowledge and the level of skills required by the Apprenticeship.

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What is included in an Apprenticeship Framework?

  • A competence based element – NVQ
  • A knowledge based element – Technical Certificate
  • Key Skills – Application of Number, Communication and ICT
  • Employment Rights and Responsibilities

NVQ – designed to develop real work skills in the workplace reflecting the skills and knowledge required to do the job effectively. The assessment method is through workplace observation, questioning and the learner providing evidence that proves they are competent to meet industry standards.

Technical Certificate – this qualification provides the underpinning knowledge element and will ensure the learner has an understanding of the industry and skills required, these are nationally recognised qualifications in their own right.

Key Skills – each programme will require the learner the develop his/her Key Skills, these are an essential part of self development and well as helping with occupational competence, each key skill is separately certificated.

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Apprenticeships Work!

  • 80% of those employers who employ apprentices agree they make their workplace more productive.
  • 81% of consumers favour using a company which takes on apprentices.
  • The minimum wage for apprentices is £95 per week. Many employers prefer to pay more however, and research shows that the average salary is approx £170 per week
  • Employers who take on a 16-18 year old apprentice only pay their salary. The Government will fund their training.
  • Over 100,000 employers offer Apprenticeship places in over 190 job roles across a wide range of sectors.
  • 88% of employers who employ apprentices believe that Apprenticeships lead to a more motivated and satisfied workforce.
  • 83% of employers who employ apprentices rely on their Apprenticeships programme to provide the skilled workers that they need for the future.
  • One in five employers are hiring more apprentices to help them through the tough economic climate.

(National Apprenticeship Service 16/12/2009)

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How Will Apprenticeships Benefit Your Business?

  • Help to retain employees
  • Improve the performance of existing staff
  • Enable staff to obtain a recognised qualification
  • Combat the impact of an ageing workforce
  • You can develop learners now to avoid skills gaps in the future
  • Help instil company values and good practice amongst employees
  • Reduce training costs and help in sourcing good quality training provider
  • Learners can bring new and fresh ideas to your business.
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What Employer Commitment Is Required For A Successful Apprenticeship?

  • By offering employment with sponsored training
  • Supporting an Apprentice throughout their training
  • Participating in quality training to develop highly skilled and effective employees

    • Employers are required to:

  • Employ their Apprentice throughout the duration of their training and beyond
  • Provide their Apprentice with a contract of employment
  • Ensure a safe and healthy working environment
  • Ensure their Apprentice is properly supervised at work
  • Provide relevant work tasks so that their Apprentice can achieve the necessary NVQ competencies
  • Participate in the Apprenticeships programme through regular meetings with the training provider staff that visit the workplace.
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Why Should I Take On An Apprentice?

  • They enable you to directly address skills gaps by equipping your workforce with the skills you need to remain competitive
  • The mixture of on and off the job training means that apprentices are learning new practices off the job which they can then bring and implement in the workplace
  • Employers currently using Apprenticeships cite increased loyalty amongst their apprentices and increased productivity
  • As Apprenticeships are designed by business for business, the training is tailor made meaning the needs and demands of your company will be met
  • You will work in partnership with your chosen training provider who will help you set up your Apprenticeship programme/s, can help with recruitment and will work with you to deliver the integrated on and off the job training

Filton College have a wide range of Apprenticeship training programmes and we will continue to develop new Apprenticeship opportunities.

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Currently Filton College offer the following Apprenticeships:

  • Business and Administration
  • Customer Service
  • Sporting Excellence
  • Vet Nursing
  • Construction
  • Horticulture
  • Creative
  • Driving Goods Vehicle
  • Retail
  • Hairdressing

Filton College is also an employer of Apprentices and we will continue to make Apprenticeship employment opportunities available. At present Filton College have 10 Apprentices employed working in roles as wide ranging as Business and Administration in HR to Plumbing in our Estates Department. All Filton College Apprenticeship employment vacancies will be advertised on the Filton College website and via the National Apprenticeship Service.

Chantelle Magee is a Business and Administration Apprentice employed by Filton College within the N-gaged Employer Engagement Team. Chantelle started her Apprenticeship in August 2009 and is making excellent progress. Chantelle states that “the Apprenticeship has allowed me to gain real work experience as well as work towards qualifications – I now have experience so I will be able to progress my career using my Business and Administration skills developed through the Apprenticeship at Filton College. Previous to starting the Apprenticeship with Filton College I had applied for lots of jobs in admin but I was not taken on by employers as I had no experience. My Apprenticeship at Filton College has changed this”.

If you would like more information regarding Apprenticeship provision please contact

Claire Thorogood - Head of Work Based Learning
Claire.thorogood@filton.ac.uk
Tel 0117 9092285

Patrick McLeod - Head of Employer Engagement
patrick.mcleod@filton.ac.uk
Tel 0117 9092269

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QUICK LINKS

USEFUL LINKS

Apprenticeships.org





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Filton College
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Filton BS34 7AT
Tel 0117 9092255 
Fax: 0117 9312233
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Bristol BS34 7AT
Tel 0117 931 2121