Apprenticeship Week 2011

Get involved in the next Apprenticeship Week, from Monday 7 to Friday 11 February 2011. The joint aim is to highlight the talent and skills of apprentices and celebrate the value of Apprenticeships.

Apprenticeship Week can only be successful with the involvement of apprentices, employers, providers and all those involved with Apprenticeships. To help businesses, staff and apprentices to plan activities to support the event four themes have been created. They are:

A Great Way to Start Your Career: This theme will focus on showing people that an Apprenticeship is a fantastic way to start a successful career.

Moving on Up: This theme will focus on the progression routes available with an Apprenticeship.

Good for Business: This theme will focus on explaining and promoting how Apprenticeships are 'Good for Business' to employers

The Big Thank You: This theme will be aimed at encouraging employers to recognise the impact their apprentices have had and the benefits they brought to their business. It will also allow apprentices to thank their employers for training them and developing their skills.

Apprenticeships - an overview

• Apprentices are employees who earn a wage and work alongside experienced staff in businesses to gain job-specific skills. Off the job, usually on a day-release basis, apprentices receive training to work towards nationally recognised qualifications.
• Apprenticeships can take between one and four years to complete depending on the level of Apprenticeship, the apprentices' ability and the industry sector.
• There are more than 190 types of Apprenticeships that are suitable for hundreds of job roles.

Key messages from YouGov research:

• Over 80% of people are more likely to use a business if it offers Apprenticeships to young people.
• 94% think it is important that companies support young people by taking on apprentices in the recession.

Key statistics from Populus research:

• 81% of businesses agree that apprentices make their work place more productive.
• Apprentices provide the skilled workers we need for the future (82% employers agree).
• Apprenticeships mean lower recruitment costs (67% employers agree).

Key statistic from the Institute for Employment Research, 'Net benefit to Employer Investment in Apprenticeship Training':

• On average an apprentice pays back your investment after 2.5 years

Key messages from 'Good for Business' research:

• Apprentices bring new ideas into your company.
• Apprentices inject new life blood into a company.
• Apprenticeships demonstrate your company's commitment to training.
• Apprentices can be moulded into your ideal employee.

If you are planning to mark this event in your workplace, make sure your events are promoted on www.apprenticeships.org.uk. This could also help you to get media coverage for your hard work and dedication to apprenticeships.

Apprenticeship in Facilities Management - next event Cambridge 23 February 2011

Asset Skills is pioneering the Apprenticeship in Facilities Management, the first of its kind for this growing and strategic industry. This programme is being rolled out in conjunction with our leading network of training providers and as part of the Asset Skills Virtual Academy for Business Services.

Our next information event for employers is being held at the Cambridge Regional College on 23 February from 4:30-6:00pm.

There is no cost and by participating you can be sure of securing a place on a programme that has great potential for you or your organisation.

The new Apprenticeship in Facilities Management will enable existing FM practitioners of all ages to extend their skills and knowledge, at a time when every employee's contribution is crucial to enabling organisations to do more with less.

The Apprenticeship also offers a career pathway into the industry, raising the profile of FM and its potential as a career of first choice.

For more information, contact Tom Orton, the Asset Skills Virtual Academy Coordinator, by email at virtualacademy@assetskills.org or call 0844 822 2525.