Microsoft vows to create 30,000 UK apprenticeships

Vendor declares post-Brexit commitment to UK – and pledges to triple the rate of apprenticeships it is creating with partners – as it hosts chancellor Phillip Hammond at its Reading HQ

Microsoft will today pledge to create another 30,000 UK digital apprenticeship roles in the UK as part of a new national skills programme.

The new scheme, which is being unveiled at an event with the chancellor Phillip Hammond at Microsoft’s UK headquarters in Reading today, is designed to “boost digital skills and ensure the UK remains at the forefront of the global cloud-enable economy”.

Microsoft will commit to training, for free, 30,000 UK public servants in the delivery of digital services to citizens as part of the programme.

It will also pledge to create 30,000 new digital apprenticeship roles through the Microsoft programme, also by 2020.

Microsoft has to date worked with its 25,000 UK partners to deliver 11,000 digital apprenticeships, well above an original target of 4,000 set in 2012. The new 30,000 figure would represent a tripling of the current run rate, Microsoft said, adding that it aims to ensure higher proportions of women and minority groups are supported with the scheme.

In addition, the US-based software titan will today set out plans to train 500,000 people in the UK to be cloud technology experts through its Cloud Skills Initiative.

Microsoft’s former UK CEO Michel Van der Bel said in a letter to staff on the eve of last May’s Brexit vote that the “UK remaining in the EU supports important criteria for continued and future investment by Microsoft and others”.

However, in a statement accompanying today’s event, Microsoft’s current CEO Cindy Rose underlined the firm’s commitment to the UK.

“In the wake of the EU referendum vote, the UK is looking at charting a new and different path to its future and Microsoft is committed, as it has been for more than 30 years, to helping the UK realise its full potential,” she said.

“We believe that maintaining the UK’s global competitiveness relies on a successful transition to a cloud-enabled economy. At Microsoft, we aim to do our part by investing back into the UK digital economy to ensure people of all ages and backgrounds are equipped with the skills necessary to thrive into the future.”

Hammond stated: “This is further evidence that Britain is one of the best places in the world to do digital business. Microsoft’s commitment to training, technology and apprenticeships will ensure that we remain at the cutting edge of innovation.

“Our technology industry is fundamental to securing future economic growth and this government is committed to ensuring it continues to thrive. It’s a key part of our Industrial Strategy to back Britain for the long term, creating the conditions where business can flourish, driving growth for the whole nation.”

 

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Scottish home builders ‘face double apprenticeship levy’

Nicola Barclay

Industry body Homes for Scotland (HFS) has warned that the country’s home builders face the prospect of paying a double levy to support apprenticeship training unless funds are ring-fenced to support the sector.

The issue has arisen as the Scottish Government sets out its response to the UK government Apprenticeship Levy and how it plans “to develop a distinctly Scottish approach to apprenticeships and wider skills development”.

The Apprenticeship Levy will operate UK-wide, with all employers paying 0.5% of their annual pay bill in excess of £3m through the PAYE system.  In 2017-18 the Scottish Government will receive £221m in Levy funding, with this expected to increase to £239m by 2019-20.

Nicola Barclay, HFS chief executive, said the move could further hamper attempts to increase the supply of much needed new housing given ongoing skills shortages affecting the sector.

Ms Barclay said: “We back many of the Scottish Government’s proposals, in particular those which relate to Modern Apprenticeships including increased support for graduate level and foundation apprenticeships as well as the establishment of a Flexible Workforce Development Fund.

“However, already affected by significant skill shortages across all areas, including trades and professions, home builders face the prospect of paying a double levy given existing arrangements with the Construction Industry Training Board on training, qualifications and apprenticeships.

“We are therefore extremely disappointed that the Scottish Government has chosen not to address this matter in the form of direct support for our industry by channelling funds back, ignoring the concerns raised by HFS and other stakeholders.

“It is also surprising that the Scottish Government does not view home building as a priority sector for skills support, given the current housing crisis and the ambitious target for delivering 50,000 new affordable homes by the end of this parliament.

“HFS would advocate that the Levy funds be ring-fenced to support the sector, with access made simple, business-led and driven by the shared objectives that support the delivery of the Scottish Government’s key priorities of supporting economic growth and strengthening productivity.”

 

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Institute for Apprenticeships – A Time to be Bold

David Way. FE News

Responsibilities for integrity, quality and funding give the new Institute for Apprenticeships a potentially vital and lasting role in the national skills infrastructure but only if its role is fully formed and it has the space to both support and constructively challenge the progress that the reforms are making.

The introduction of the levy sees a fundamental shift in the balance of funding away from the public purse and firmly towards employers. The Institute is therefore a very welcome further manifestation of employer ownership and leadership. It needs to do the job that businesses need while ensuring it secures the support and confidence of three million more (mostly) young people whose lives will be shaped by their Apprenticeship experiences.

While it has taken a long time for the detail of the new Institute for Apprenticeships to be revealed, at least in draft form, there are reasons to believe that this body can make a difference if responses to the consultation pick up on the big opportunities that are presented.

We will also be in a better place to judge its potential once we see the detail of the Secretary of State’s first strategic guidance and her priorities for the first year. An example of this will be how far the Institute is encouraged to set funding rates that support the new Industry Strategy and individual sector strategies.

Helping close critical skills gaps must be an essential success criterion for everyone involved in the new skills infrastructure. The Institute needs to be proactive itself and as well as being a key partner in a collective approach, both designing and helping incentivise the skills business and the economy needs.

It is also good to see reference to Apprenticeships supporting social mobility, not least because it will open more people’s eyes to their potential contribution. The Institute could show important leadership in this area. However, the final strategic guidance will need to give social mobility more prominence than it receives in the consultation document if it is to be at the heart of the Institute’s work.

The consultation document also asks the Institute to report on how well the system as a whole is delivering successful Apprenticeships. This is absolutely vital if the Institute is to help drive the reforms in a meaningful way. It is an opportunity to help

Government with the question justifiably posed by the NAO, PAC and others about success and start to set demanding goals for Apprenticeships and quality.

If the Institute is encouraged to look independently and objectively at the state of the Apprenticeship system overall, we could get a meaningful annual report and debate on how well the skills partners collectively are tackling Apprenticeship-critical issues.

These issues would extend well beyond starts and completions and examine key issues such as what happens to apprentices after they have completed their Apprenticeships; ensuring ladders of progression to Apprenticeships supported by Higher Education are in place; ensuring better access to Information, Advice and Guidance; reviewing progress in improving vocational teaching; tackling skills shortages; and the participation and progress of under-represented groups.

The Institute could provide transparency, analysis, rigour and honesty to support an annual state of Apprenticeships debate in which all partners and delivery organisations constructively address progress and improvements. The logical next stage of employer leadership is for the Institute to initiate and coordinate this debate and use its influence and powers to drive changes in partnership with Government.

It is good to see the Institute given leadership responsibilities in respect of quality issues amidst many other organisations with statutory responsibilities in this area. When I was the CEO of NAS, our so-called ‘end-to-end’ responsibilities for Apprenticeships depended on much goodwill from partners. It is therefore helpful to start with a clearer exposition of Government expectations for collaboration in a critical area.

The power to require the SFA to investigate issues is also an important clarification. Some of these investigations should be thematic as well as looking at individual cases of possible quality abuse. There remain issues that undermine quality that seem not to be understood fully or resolved. For example, many employers wanting to do the right thing for their business and their apprentices struggle with an understanding of ‘off the job learning’ definitions while a significant proportion of learners don’t appreciate they are apprentices.

Which leads neatly to the final question about ensuring the voice of apprentices is heard. I hope respondents will give resounding support to this. I would have wanted to see the apprentice voice directly on the board itself or at board meetings and I hope this can still be achieved. Every Apprenticeship employer group with which I have been involved has benefitted hugely from hearing directly from apprentices. They have both inspired employers and grounded them in the reality of experiencing an Apprenticeship.

In response to the consultation, I anticipate employers strongly supporting the Institute for Apprenticeships and ensuring their money is well spent. I hope though that they will press for a body that will really make a difference, not simply administering but helping drive Apprenticeship reforms; and giving us an Institute that has a strong prospect of enduring long enough for us all to understand what it does and to capitalise on the massive potential benefits for good that it offers.

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Everything you need to know about the new apprenticeship at North East Scotland College

Jake Cox, from Aberdeen, is among those to have seized the new opportunity.

North East Scotland College is offering a new form of apprenticeship to youngsters from the area.

Foundation apprenticeships have been set up across the country since 2014 after the Scottish Government recognised the need to balance academic and vocational learning in secondary schools.

The college is now offering people the chance to gain qualifications in social care, engineering and health, and children and young people.

Jake Cox, from Aberdeen, is among those to have seized the new opportunity.

The 16-year-old is juggling his fifth year at St Machar Academy pupil with a foundation apprenticeship in mechanical engineering.

As part of this, he travels to the Fraserburgh campus every Wednesday.

He said: “The facilities here are amazing, much better than at school.

“I’ve enjoyed everything so far and to be honest, it is so much better than I thought it would be.

“We’ve covered computer aided design, dynamics and statics in the classroom and we’re now based in the workshop.

“I haven’t decided what I’ll do yet when I leave school but I know it will be engineering related.”

During his two year apprenticeship he will undertake 300 hours of work experience and gain a qualification.

Shelley Mackenzie, the schools liaison manager at the college, said there were plans to develop more foundation apprenticeships for the next academic year.

She said: “For a number of years North East Scotland College has partnered with Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire councils to offer a range of vocational courses to pupils as part of their senior school timetable.

“Foundation apprenticeships fit well with this activity as they offer a blended learning experience allowing pupils to stay at school to take school based subjects whilst also accessing a college education alongside extended work experience opportunities.

“This blended senior phase experience will really equip pupils with both the knowledge and skills they need for entering the work place.

“In the academic year 17-18 there will be foundation apprenticeships in creative and digital media, ICT hardware, laboratory science and business skills, in addition to those being offered this year.”

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Gloucestershire College to host event on upcoming apprenticeship reforms to help employers

GLOUCESTERSHIRE College has teamed up with law firm Harrison Clark Rickerbys to put on a special conference to inform the county’s businesses on the apprenticeship reforms coming into effect in April.

The event also aims to give employers a greater understanding of the law governing the employment of apprentices.

It will benefit both levy-payers and those who do not meet the annual wage bill threshold, with the opportunity to speak to experts in the field and gain practical guidance on getting the most from apprenticeships.

The conference will take place from 9am to 3pm on Thursday, January 26, at the college’s Cheltenham Campus.

It will include:

• Education reforms and skills plan – Sue Steed, Vice Principal at Gloucestershire College
• Financial implications for levy and non-levy payers – Andy Bates, chief financial officer at Gloucestershire College
• New Digital Apprenticeship Service (DAS)
• Legal guidance on employing apprentices – Jenny Jones, head of employment, and Rachel Parkin, senior associate at Harrison Clark Rickerbys
• Group discussions and Q&A

Andy Bates, chief financial officer at the college, said: “89 per cent of apprentice employers say that apprenticeships have helped improve the quality of their product or service, and I would encourage business owners, directors, managers and senior HR professionals to get to grips with the opportunities apprenticeships offer.

“The scope of apprentices is always changing, for example at GC we offer more than 35 different apprenticeships, from accountancy to professional cookery.

“For employers, having a good idea of the possibilities will ensure the best return on their levy payments, and the Levy Conference is designed to ensure businesses are up-to-date and fully prepared for the forthcoming changes.”

Rachel Parkin, senior associate solicitor at Harrison Clark Rickerbys, said: “Harrison Clark Rickerbys is delighted to be working in partnership with Gloucestershire College on this event.

“With the introduction of the apprenticeship levy, it is even more important that employers understand their legal obligations in relation to employing apprentices. We are looking forward to sharing our knowledge with delegates at the Levy Conference.”

Tickets to the conference are priced at £50 each and include a light lunch.

Visit gloscol.ac.uk/events to book your place.

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JCB worker named best in England at National Apprenticeship Awards

A former JCB Academy student is today championing apprenticeships after being crowned the best in the country at last night’s National Apprenticeship Awards.

Holly Broadhurst was last night named the Nuclear Decommissioning Site Licence Companies Higher and Degree Apprentice of the Year. She picked up her gong during a glittering ceremony at London’s Grosvenor House. The 22-year-old won the award ahead of hundreds of competing apprentices from all around England.
She is now a full-time design engineer for JCB, designing compact 360 tracked excavators for a living after recently completing a higher apprenticeship with the Rocester-based firm.

After accepting her award, she outlined how important it was to have had a strong female role model while she studied at JCB Academy, which is also in Rocester.

Miss Broadhurst, who works at JCB Compact Products, in Cheadle, said: “I’ve learned and gained so much more than I ever thought possible through my apprenticeship with JCB. I had a female lecturer during my time spent in the JCB Academy and, as a woman within engineering, she was a great role model to encourage me into the industry.

“When I first started my apprenticeship I knew I wanted to work in engineering but my apprenticeship enabled me to maximise my experience by rotating around different parts of the business. This gave me a good insight into how the company is run and helped me to realise the area best suited to my skills.

“I look at my friends who went to university and they are only just getting the workplace experience now. I would advise anyone considering an apprenticeship to go for it 110 per cent. It may seem nerve-wracking to go straight into a job but it is so worth it in the long run.”

The National Apprenticeship Awards are now in their 13th year. Run by the National Apprenticeship Service, they recognise excellence in two areas – businesses that ‘grow their own talent’ with apprentices and apprentices who have ‘made a significant contribution to their workplaces’.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Government’s apprenticeships and skills minister, Robert Halfon, reserved special praise for Miss Broadhurst, who hails from Leek, in the Staffordshire Moorlands

He said: “Congratulations to Holly for your success in this year’s National Apprenticeship Awards, which have showcased so much inspiring talent, dedication and ensures that apprenticeships get the prestige they deserve.

“I am always proud to see how many employers and apprentices get involved in apprenticeships across the country, helping to give a ladder of opportunity to people and deliver quality skills for employers. I hope your involvement encourages others to do the same to ensure social justice for all.”

The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, which has backed the awards, is a government organisation tasked with the safe clean-up of the UK’s former civil nuclear sites.

Beccy Pleasant, head of skills and talent at the authority, said: “I am so pleased for Holly Broadhurst in winning the Nuclear Site Licence Companies higher or degree-level apprenticeship award at this year’s National Apprenticeship Awards.

“Higher and degree-level apprenticeships are proving to be a successful method of recruiting people into our businesses. Apprentices are equipped for the world of work and can make a more immediate impact on our businesses. And the individuals are able to start financially planning for their future, rather than repaying student debts of the past.”

The night’s events were hosted by Sue Husband, the director of the National Apprenticeship Service, who paid tribute to all those who had been nominated.

She said:“The National Apprenticeship Awards have highlighted once again the magnificent range of apprenticeships on offer – with leading employers in exciting industries – and the skills that apprentices gain when taking on these roles.

“Every year this event gets bigger and better, bringing to the forefront of our minds the importance of apprenticeships to local, regional and national economies.

“Apprenticeships are for everyone and I personally thank each and every employer and apprentice recognised at Friday’s event for their commitment to apprenticeships.”

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National Apprenticeship Awards winners announced

Individuals and employers recognised at glittering ceremony in London for their commitment to the apprenticeship programme

Apprentices and employers were in the spotlight at last night’s 13^th annual National Apprenticeship Awards. The ceremony, hosted by the National Apprenticeship Service, saw six employers and three apprentices, as well as a national apprentice champion, recognised for their commitment to apprenticeships.

Also announced on the night was the Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers list 2016, featuring the most exceptional apprenticeship employers from all National Apprenticeship Awards employer categories.

Apprenticeships and skills minister Robert Halfon said: “Congratulations to all the winners – they are champions showcasing how apprenticeships to give everyone the chance to get on. Apprenticeships work. They give people of all ages and all backgrounds the ladder of opportunity to get paid experience in work and a top class qualification at the same time.”

The winners:

• The I-Can Qualifications Award for Intermediate Apprentice of the Year: Charlotte Blowers, Exceed
• EAL Award for Advanced Apprentice of the Year: Adam Sharp, Sellafield Ltd
• The Nuclear Decommissioning Site Licence Companies Award for the Higher or Degree Apprentice of the Year: Holly Broadhurst, J C Bamford Excavators Ltd
• Premier Inn sponsored Apprentice Champion Award: John Clarke, technical manager with BT.
• Unilever Small Employer of the Year: Ebsford Environmental Ltd
• British Gas Medium Employer of the Year: Troup Bywaters + Anders
• BAE Systems Award for Large Employer of the Year: Mercedes-Benz UK
• EON Award for Macro Employer of the Year: Mitie Group Plc
• Santander Award for Newcomer SME of the Year: Craggs Energy Ltd
• Rolls-Royce Award for Newcomer Large Employer of the Year: Bond Dickinson LLP

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