Spotlight
Each month we will shine a “spotlight” on some of the relevant topics, issues and subjects which relate to the Kirklees Apprenticeships for All project. This will cover a range of subject matters and the highlighted theme will change from month to month, so ensure you check back for current and relevant information on apprenticeships, our partnerships and our project news, plus we’ll be including other wider topical points for interest too.
Spotlight On ... The Benefits of Apprenticeships
In this Spotlight we’d like to highlight the benefits that an Apprenticeship can have on individuals, workforces and businesses. We also discuss the importance on developing your skills, to not only benefit you now, but skills which you will hold for life.
Kirklees is a great place to do an Apprenticeship, we have a wealth of support and provision within the area, and this together with the ongoing support that individuals and businesses you can access via the Kirklees Apprenticeship for All team, means you can feel confident in being supported every step of your learning
journey.
In this video, we hear from the Head of the Employment and Skills team at Kirklees Council, Gillian Wallace, who details how we can support you in navigating the apprenticeship landscape.
If you need further information, please contact the team, who are always happy to help, on 01484 225016 or by clicking the button below:
Check out our previous spotlight topics below
Spotlight On ... Mental Health and Wellbeing
We understand the importance of Mental Health and want to ensure that businesses are informed and equipped to provide Mental Health and Wellbeing support to their apprentices, their wider workforce and their entire business, in order to help them thrive.
Delivered by The Better Health Generation, we have a number of workshops planned over the upcoming months covering topics such as; Mindfulness, relaxation techniques, resilience and self-care, capacity building, lifestyle and wellness, confidence and motivation building, plus much more:
Our workshops can accommodate up to 20 people per session, and will be held face to face on the *dates shown below:
2nd December – Money & Mental Health
12th January – Work Life Balance & Staying Energized
7th February – Addressing the Stigma of Mental Health
14th December – Money & Mental Health
24th January – Work Life Balance & Staying Energized
20th February – Addressing the Stigma of Mental Health
“We are delighted to partner with Kirklees Apprenticeships for All to provide mental health group workshops and support to organisations across Kirklees. In our ‘new normal’ we face more complexity in our lives than ever before, therefore being able to tailor workshops to organisations to address key themes and trends is imperative.
Our bespoke workshops which are designed to meet each organisations individual needs have been proven to assist apprentices and employees with motivation in times of transition, and provide strategies, tools, and techniques to build an individual’s health, resilience, and confidence to thrive at work and in study.”
Andy Milne, Head of TBHG UK
If you would like to discuss a workshop for your staff members, please e-mail the team at
apprenticeshipsforall@kirklees.gov.uk and register your interest.
Spotlight On … The 20% “off the job” Training Requirements of an Apprenticeship
“Off-the-job” training must make up at least 20% of the apprentice’s normal working hours over the duration of the apprenticeship.
An easy way to check whether an activity counts towards this 20%, is that it must answer yes to all of the below:
- Is the person signed up to the apprenticeship programme?
- Is the activity they are doing directly relevant to the apprenticeship?
- Is the activity teaching new knowledge, skills and behaviours?
- Is the learning taking place in the apprentice’s normal working hours?
“Off the job” doesn’t necessarily mean the Apprentice will spend 20% of their time “away from the workplace” in a classroom.
The off-the-job training can be delivered at the apprentice’s usual place of work, or at an external location. The nature of the skillset being acquired may influence the location necessary to learn, however providers have developed a range of delivery styles to suit employer and apprentice needs.
Employers should work with providers to decide when and where off the job training should take place and who is best placed to deliver it.
An apprenticeship is a work based programme so all off the job training must take place within the apprentice’s normal working hours.
Apprentices may choose to spend additional time training outside paid hours, but this must not be required to complete the apprenticeship.
English and Maths, at level 2 or below, does not count towards the 20% off the job training.
Apprenticeships are about developing occupational competency and they are designed on the basis that the apprentice already has the required level (level 2) of English and maths.
Training for English and Maths must be on top of the 20% off the job training requirement.
A commitment statement must be in place from the beginning of the apprenticeship, setting out the training content an apprentice will receive, and which elements count towards the off the job training.
The apprentice’s evidence pack needs to demonstrate what training has been delivered against the commitment statement.
Source for above: Apprenticeships: off-the-job training – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Spotlight On … … National Apprenticeship Week 2022
Today marks the start of this year’s National Apprenticeship Week with the theme “Build the Future”.
This is not only limited to those completing an apprenticeship, although they are of course on track to building a great future for themselves, it is also a chance to look at how we all want to build and shape our own futures.
Throughout this week (and every week here at KAFA!) we’ll be highlighting the benefits of using an apprenticeship to upskill and build a brighter future for individuals, businesses and workforces across Kirklees.
We’ll hear from our apprentices, our managers and our partners as they share their success and tell us why …
… Apprenticeships are for All.
Ask An Employer
Ask An Apprentice
Let’s bust some myths
There are lots of Myths surrounding Apprenticeships and what you think you might know about them, may not be strictly true. Take a look at our myths busting section below and see what you could learn.
The Myth: Apprenticeships are only for school leavers, as an alternative to Higher Education
The Facts: Apprenticeships are open to those of any age (after school leaving age) and although they may be more prevalent in the minds of school leavers choosing their initial career paths, they are by no means limited to this age group alone. An apprenticeship may be the perfect fit for someone later in life looking for a career change, a lifestyle change, a re-training option, or just looking to further themselves to the next step.
We can help with that – Contact us now!
The Myth: Apprenticeships are only for new starters to the business
The Facts: One of the routes into employment for many may come in the form of an Apprenticeship, however there are a wealth of Apprenticeship opportunities for those who are already employed by your business. Once you have identified which of your workforce may be suitable for skill enhancement, promotion or career progression, an apprenticeship is a great way for them to further their development, gain qualifications and in turn take on more senior roles within the business.
We can help with that – Contact us now!
The Myth: Apprenticeships are for people at the beginning of the career ladder
The Facts: There are a wide range of Apprenticeship qualifications on offer and these are suitable for people at all different stages in their professional career development. There are leadership qualifications, managerial qualifications and degree level apprenticeships all on offer for those whom this is the next step.
We can help with that – Contact us now!
The Myth: Apprenticeships need constant direct supervision and would take up too much of your time
The Facts: As with any employee within a business, there is a need to ensure that the employee feels supported and valued. There is wrap around support available to ensure that you have sufficient internal infrastructure in place to ensure the employee completing the Apprenticeship has the support they need, and the level of supervision required. This could include coaching, mentorship and soft skills, alongside upskilling supervisors on how to confidently manage an Apprentice.
We can help with that – Contact us now!
The Myth: Apprenticeships cost the business a lot of money – we have no training budget!
The Facts: Whilst there are grants available for taking on a new Apprentice, upskilling your current employees with an apprenticeship is a cost effective way to develop your workforce.
The Apprenticeship Levy is a key way of being able to utilise available funds without needing to impact on your own budget.
We can help with that – Contact us now!
The Myth: You need to have a certain level of qualification to take up an Apprenticeship
The Facts: The level of Apprenticeship being considered will determine the pre-requisites to complete the course. However, not having certain qualifications does not mean you cannot complete your desired course, it may simply mean you have to embark on one of the functional skills courses, before you can progress.
We can help with that – Contact us now!
The Myth: Apprenticeship are for entry level qualifications only
The Facts: If you already have qualifications, recent or historic, there are still ways for you to further your learning, using an Apprenticeship. There are offerings in levels equivalent to A-Level, Degree and even masters that can be fully funded up to £27,000.
We can help with that – Contact us now!
The Myth: You must spend 20% off the job training, which means one day per week spent outside of the business
The Facts: There is much flexibility in the 20% commitment than just taking a day out of the business. This could be a study day off site, but it could also be shadowing fellow colleagues, leading a specific project, working with another team within the business. Anything which sits outside your job description which allows you to grow your knowledge and develop an understanding of the qualification you are working towards counts to this 20%.
We can help with that – Contact us now!
Celebration Friday
Guidance for Parents and Carers
As a parent you want to ensure the very best for your children. You want to see them thrive, be happy and achieve success in all they do. You also want to support and guide them through their decision making journey. When it comes to an Apprenticeships there is lots to consider so our colleagues at Works Better have created a useful parents guide to help you support your sons or daughters in their future decision making.
If you want to explore the options available to you also in order to learn and grow alongside them, speak to the KAFA team on how we can help.
Spotlight On … You!
This month, we shine our spotlight on YOU!
This last year (and the one before that) has been challenging for everyone. We have adjusted to a new way of working, and living, and will need to continue to be flexible and adaptable with the way we do business as we enter the New Year. But we WILL still do business.
As we take time to reflect on what we have achieved, it’s also the perfect time to look ahead to our future aspirations.
You, your workforce and your teams will all have resolutions and goals for 2022 and the Kirklees Apprenticeship for All team can work with you to help you achieve great things.
Your aspirations for 2022
Employed and looking for help?Ask yourself what you’d like to achieve in the next 12 months · Would you like to learn a new skill or gain additional qualifications? |
A business looking for support?Ask yourself what you’d like your business to achieve in the next 12 months · Are you looking at your workforce succession planning? |
Our aspirations for 2022
Our aspirations are to help you achieve your goals in 2022 so get in touch and find out what fully funded support we can offer to you or your business in the New Year.
Spotlight On … Kirklees Active Leisure (KAL)
This month, we shine our spotlight on one of our project Delivery Partners, Kirklees Active Leisure. We spoke to Amanda Matthews, HR Manager for KAL to get her views on their involvement with the Kirklees Apprenticeships for All project.
An Introduction …
We do things differently at KAL as a local, not-for-profit, charitable leisure trust, we put every penny of profit back into the business. KAL is one of the most progressive Leisure Trusts in the UK and we’re very proud of our achievements, we are continually developing ourselves and investing heavily in our staff, products, and facilities to provide the best possible experience for everyone. We’re proud to support the Kirklees community to stay active and healthy, both physically and mentally.
The KAL ethos …
KAL’s values are One Team, Excellence and Passion. We believe that these are essential to all our roles to ensure our customers have the best experience. Our Strapline is “Keeping people more active, more often”.
What would you like to see from the KAFA project?
As one of the larger employers within Kirklees, we consider it our responsibility to work with local partners on KAFA. Drawing on the local communities within Kirklees to make up our workforce has been key to KAL’s success in recent years and going forward this is more important than ever, especially as we seek to ensure that our workforce is representative of the communities we serve. KAL is optimistic that KAFA will enable us to engage with those who may not automatically feel that a career within Leisure is an opportunity open to them, and given the wide range of roles available within KAL it is an exciting prospect to develop new and existing Kirklees residents into them.
What is your experience of “upskilling” in the workplace?
KAL has welcomed new faces to the workforce over the years, bringing in ideas and experiences from other trusts and sectors however, we also have a proven track record of “growing our own” with a significant number of the workforce having spent both their formative and later years serving the members of Kirklees’ communities who participated in KAL’s services and facilities. Through a strong ethos of providing opportunities for development, to highlight just a few examples, we have individuals managing the centres that they once lifeguarded, members of the IT department who started their careers manning the reception desks and individuals now leading the recruitment and development of our workforce that they were once a junior member of.
What’s next in the KAL calendar?
We’re really excited for the opening of the brand new Spen Valley Leisure Centre in early 2022. This will bring new opportunities for both existing and new staff to Kirklees Active Leisure.
Good News Stories
For good news stories from KAL and to find out about what their members, staff and the wider KAL community have been up to see here – www.kalleisuretrust.org.uk/community
