LSIS Seeks To Boost Uptake Of Disabled Apprentices

Posted on May 21, 2013 by stephensmyth

The Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS) is in the midst of its latest initiative aimed at encouraging employers and training providers to take on apprentices with disabilities. Acting in partnership with Remploy Employment Services, the LSIS is addressing issues through two workshops this week, one held on Monday and another scheduled for Thursday. Three other workshops on the subject were organised earlier this year and proved extremely successful. The LSIS will be closed on 31 July 2013 but Remploy, the specialist employment support services provider, is hoping to secure a sponsor and continue to deliver such workshops across the country.

The seminars focus on concerns that might discourage employers and training providers from recruiting apprentices with disabilities. A survey commissioned by the National Apprenticeship Service in 2011 identified some of those concerns. Remploy, which carried out the research, established that employers were often deterred from taking on disabled apprentices for fear of an overwhelming regulatory burden with regard to health and safety. Some were also concerned that the apprentices would drop out of the programme, which could affect the company’s business plans. Through these workshops, the LSIS and Remploy seek to address existing concerns by informing providers how to get extra support and funding for disabled apprentices, as well as increase the number of disabled learners in apprenticeship programmes by using employer engagement strategies.

Remploy business consultant Howard Nelson said the organisation was hoping to carry on the work started by the LSIS although the workshops may not be free in the future if a sponsor is not found. The success of the events organised so far has prompted Remploy to consider a national conference on disabled apprentices, which is scheduled to take place in September.

NAS Taps Young Digital Talent To Promote Apprenticeship Agenda

Posted on May 3, 2013 by stephensmyth

Technology plays a central role in young people’s lives and the National Apprenticeship

Facebook login page

Service (NAS) plans to make the most of this. Through the freshly launched “Can you hack it as an apprentice” design challenge, the NAS will kill two birds with one stone: bringing apprenticeships to the attention of more young people while giving young people themselves the chance to demonstrate their creative potential.

The competition will involve the design and development of a Facebook app or game, the plan being to have the prototype ready for launch in late summer. The five best ideas will be shortlisted and each developer will get £3,000 to bring their design to a prototype beta stage. Once testing is done, the winning developer will be granted another £10,000 to complete his or her work. The NAS will launch the product on its Facebook page in August. The competition is open to developers aged between 16 and 24 and entry forms must be submitted by 24 May 2013.

With the help of the new app or game, the NAS is aiming to increase awareness of apprenticeships and thus boost the number of young Britons entering vocational training. The initiative also seeks to address employer demands for high quality of apprenticeship applications.

The NAS has chosen to break with tradition, which would have seen the development task assigned to a creative agency. It said that by opting for an alternative course of action, the organisation is giving young people the chance to spread their creative wings and deliver a product for their peers.

Civil Service Offers 100 Apprenticeship Places

Posted on April 16, 2013 by stephensmyth

A new apprenticeship scheme was launched by the Civil Service this week.

Roles are on offer across a variety of departments including the Cabinet Office, Ministry of Justice, HM Revenue and Customs, Department for Education, Department for Work and Pensions, Crown Prosecution Service and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

Potential apprentice jobs available through the Civil Service Apprenticeship Scheme include working in a minister’s private office, providing advice to jobseekers as a personal adviser in a Jobcentre, or developing or implementing policy.

As part of the scheme, apprentices will work towards a Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship in Business and Professional Administration. The minimum starting salary is £18,763.

There are 100 apprentice vacancies, which are open to school leavers aged 18-21. Successful applicants will join as a management grade, which means that they could manage a colleague or a team in addition to their primary role.

The application period is expected to run from 15-26 April but anyone who is interested should apply as soon as possible because applications will be dealt with on a first come, first served basis depending on the level of interest. If a significant number of people apply the application process will be closed early, the Civil Service said.

Applicants must have five GCSEs at grades A* to C including English language and maths, and able to start in September 2013.

MP Slams Big Companies For Not Providing Apprenticeships

Posted on March 7, 2013 by stephensmyth

Earlier this week the UK’s shadow business secretary Chuka Umunna delivered a strongly worded critique of the country’s large enterprises for their lack of apprenticeship programmes, HR Magazine reports.

Umunna railed against the fact that two-thirds of the biggest UK employers did not offer apprenticeships, describing the situation as a “disgrace.” The comment came as part of his speech at the London-hosted EEF National Manufacturing Conference, where Umunna stated that apprenticeships occupied a central place in the UK economic debate. For all the talk about making the UK a globally competitive economy, little consideration seems to be given to the question of how it can be achieved. According to Umunna, the key to that is establishing a proper skills eco-system.

Umunna also noted that apprenticeship schemes were not afforded the same respect as university degrees, attributing this mindset to cultural issues. However, apprenticeships are as important as academic qualifications for the future growth of the UK economy and must be strongly encouraged. Both parents and young people should come to believe that opting for an apprenticeship is as worthy as taking the academic route, Umunna pointed out.

Michael Davis, CEO of the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES), said in an interview for HR Magazine that employers must become more involved in the skills debate. Davis noted that apprenticeships offered companies an excellent way of securing the talent they need. An apprenticeship programme combines the efforts of employers, training providers and individuals to deliver outcomes beneficial to all parties involved, Davis said.

Number of Apprenticeship Applications Filed Online Surges 41%

Posted on February 28, 2013 by stephensmyth

Over 267,400 applications for apprenticeships were submitted online between November 2012 and January 2013, the latest figures from the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) reveal. This translates into a 41% increase compared with the same period of the previous academic year.

NAS also registered a 26.6% uptick in the number of apprenticeship vacancies advertised on the web and their number reached almost 25,400 at the end of the second quarter of the 2012/2013 academic year.

Apprenticeships in business and administration were most popular with applicants, hitting 82,290. Second came childcare, which attracted 21,760 candidates, followed by customer services with 20,520 applications filed online. IT, software, web and telecoms were other sectors that young people wanted to gain experience in, with applications reaching 16,840. The number of people who applied online for a position in the hospitality and catering segments came in at 9,530.

For the whole of 2012, NAS recorded nearly 1.127 million applications for apprenticeships filed online and 106,510 vacancies advertised. Business and administration were again the most popular sectors.

The spike in the number of online applications for apprenticeships suggests that more and more individuals and employers are starting to realise the opportunities that apprenticeships offer and to recognise the value of high quality training, NAS head David Way commented.

NAS also announced the roll-out of a free app named AV Search, which allows potential applicants to track thousands of job positions advertised on its website from their mobile devices.

ATG Training Marketing Manager, Stephen Smyth also noted an increase in online applications to www.atgapprenticeships.com with February 2013 recording 58% more applications on the previously recorded high figure since the launch of the site. All the evidence currently available points to employer confidence returning to the vocational sector as the National focus on Apprenticeships develops a resonance with young people, continued Smyth.

Stephen Smyth Marketing Manager

Aspiring Apprentices To Get Extra Help With Application Process

Posted on February 15, 2013 by stephensmyth

An estimated 17,000 young Britons are set to benefit from extra support through 16 projects launched under the Apprenticeship Application Support Fund. Training providers, colleges, charitable organisations and employers have joined forces to help 16 to 20 year-olds achieve success in applying for an apprenticeship, the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) reported recently on its website.

Many of those projects will offer help to young people whose previous apprenticeship applications have proved unsuccessful. The assistance they receive will take the form of practical guidance in different areas, for example interview skills and CV preparation. The projects are expected to run until June, at which point they will be evaluated.

The fund sponsoring these projects is under the supervision of the Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP), which is acting on behalf of the NAS. The Apprenticeship Application Support Fund started with £450,000 from the NAS and its size later grew to £700,000 with a contribution from the Skills Funding Agency. The latter joined the initiative after an extremely positive response from bidders. The Skills Funding Agency was particularly impressed by the fact that many bids focused on facilitating access to apprenticeship programmes for under-represented groups, for example learners with disabilities.

Graham Hoyle, chief executive of the AELP, noted that both young people and employers had come to regard apprenticeships as a precious commodity, especially in light of the cut-throat competition in the youth employment market. However, aspiring apprentices can often find the application process their biggest challenge. With extra support at hand, more young Britons will be equipped with the skills to address this problem and embark on the path of vocational training, Hoyle stated.

Engineering, Manufacturing Apprenticeships Record Impressive Growth Over Past Two Years

Posted on January 31, 2013 by stephensmyth

This week Semta published its latest figures on new apprenticeships in the advanced

Engineering Manufacturing Apprentice

manufacturing and engineering sectors, revealing an increase of more than 85% over the past two years.

In 2009/2010 the number stood at 16,760 and it rose to 22,300 in the following year. It grew further over the course of 2011/2012 to reach 31,070. All areas in England have recorded substantial improvements in the number of apprenticeship starts, with West Midlands leading the way with a massive 227% increase. Other areas with particularly impressive results are the East Midlands, North East and Yorkshire & Humber with 174%, 133% and 109%, respectively. The majority of new apprenticeships have been intermediate level recruits, where the number of apprentices has jumped by 142%. New starts at the advanced and higher level have registered an increase of 23%.

Semta, the Skills Council for the advanced manufacturing and engineering sectors in the UK, and the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) have joined forces with the aim of doubling advanced and higher level manufacturing and engineering apprenticeships by 2015/2016. Sarah Sillars, chief executive of Semta, described the latest figures as immensely encouraging and proof of the great work done by Semta and the NAS in their joint push to address a looming skills shortage.

However, she was quick to add that the partnership still had its work cut out and no effort must be spared to attract young people into the engineering and manufacturing sectors. Employers will need 82,000 new workers to replace staff retiring in the years through to 2016 and this creates great opportunities for young people. It is also essential to educate teachers and parents, making them understand the benefits that an engineering or manufacturing apprenticeship can deliver to youngsters, Sillars noted.

Stephen Smyth Marketing Manager

Stephen Smyth who is the Marketing Manager at ATG Training welcomed the new data which reflects the increase in engineering vacancies that the charitable training provider has helped employers fill recently. Recognising the challenge noted by Sarah, the issue faced by ATG Training is often matching the right candidate to the right role, in the right location. As many young people do not drive, this triumvirate is a challenge to meet at times.

Smartphone App

Posted on September 14, 2012 by stephensmyth

The new ATG Training i-phone app is now available from the i-tunes market. Just search ATG Training and you will find it.
Alternatively follow this link.http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/atg-training/id558805801?mt=8
The app features
•         Part of a bike
•         Cytech Training course information http://cycletraining.co
•         120 question quiz, broken into 10 random questions bite sized peices
•         Google maps of the training venues
•         Our social media pages
•         Contact information with direct phone and emails from the app
It is free to download. An Android version will shortly be available too for those of you who have that technology.

Information and Advice Drop-in Session

Posted on November 23, 2010 by stephensmyth

Information and Advice Drop-in Session

Future Centre

Thursday 25th November 2010
2.30pm to 4.30pm

ATG Training, Future Centre, Smeaton Close, Aylesbury, HP19 8SZ

Get free, objective and impartial career advice from our Learner Support Team.

For anyone who is interested in pursuing a career in one of the following industry sectors:

• Business and Administration
• Children’s Care, Learning and Development
• Customer Service and Retail
• Cycle Maintenance
• Electrical Installation
• Management (including Team Leading)
• Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering
• IT User and IT Practitioner
• Warehousing and Storage Operations

Call us on 01296 737800 or e-mail: future@atg-training.co.uk.

Cycle Show

Posted on October 11, 2010 by stephensmyth

ATG Training Cycle Academy team field customer enquiries

The Cycle Show at Earls Court this year proved to be very busy for the ATG Training Cycle Academy team.

Four days of full on customer facing enquiries where fielded, helping trade, press and customers gain a better understanding of the high quality cycle maintenance training that is available throughout the UK.The Fastest Wrench competition proved to be very popular and highly competitive, with some of the contestants having their efforts captured on video. You can see some of these on the ATG Training Cytech Facebook page.

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