Local Government Apprenticeship Summit
Following on from the success of the North West Apprenticeship Conference earlier this year, a Local Government Apprenticeship Summit was held at North West Employers’ offices on 17 November 2009. It was organised jointly by North West Employers and the IDeA.
The summit brought together representatives from Regional Improvement and Efficiency Partnerships (RIEPs) and Local Government Employers’ Organisations, as well as colleagues from the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS), London Councils, the Young Foundation and the National Care Advisory Service.
The summit provided a series of regional round-ups, which gave delegates the opportunity to share good practice and update each other on what is happening with the apprenticeship agenda around the country. Topics of conversation included: procurement and apprentices; the use of apprenticeship training associations (ATAs); and the recruitment and retention of apprentices in the context of the recession.
In addition, delegates were also given a presentation from Wirral Council, outlining the success and method of their recent apprenticeship scheme.
Wirral’s strategic approach is coupled to its LAA priorities, which includes targets to grow enterprise, increase employment opportunities and address employment inequalities and, improve skills for residents in the most deprived areas. In order to help meet these targets, Wirral committed part of its Working Neighbourhoods Fund allocation to the development of an apprenticeship programme - ‘The Wirral Apprentice’. The programme was designed around a number of driving principles, most notably:
- Direct support to businesses in the recession.
- Stimulating the supply of 100 new apprentice places.
- Working with partners to open up apprenticeship places to ‘hard to reach’ individuals, such as, NEET 16-18 year olds, 16-18 year olds who are at risk of becoming NEET, looked after children, and, young (19+) adults who are workless.
The Wirral Apprentice offers an attractive package to businesses and individuals.
It pays apprentices’ wages for up to 18 months and facilitates the training offer through the LSC provider. In return, employers are expected to offer a minimum two year contract of employment to their apprentices.
The scheme has proved to be a huge success for Wirral and, considered in a wider context, it should provide an excellent model for other authorities to follow.
For more information, please contact
Tom Goodwin.