Apprenticeships Investing in the future...

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1 Apprenticeships Investing in the future... The UK s struggle to recover the economy has been well documented. A steady increase in the amount of available jobs is failing to have a real impact on unemployment rates. With upwards of two million people unemployed at the last count i, the Government has to think of new ways to tackle the problem that has plagued the UK economy for the past six years. And that s where apprenticeships come in. Despite being around for quite some time, apprenticeships are now seen as a way to boost the economy from the bottom up, whilst training the next generation of workers. What are apprenticeships? Apprenticeships may have been talked about a lot in recent years, but what exactly are they, and how do they benefit individuals and organisations? The apprenticeship programme is an established and successful initiative that provides proven benefits to both employers and apprentices. Essentially, apprenticeships allow anyone, of any age, to earn a real salary while gaining a real qualification or earn while they learn. Supported by local training organisations, apprentices integrate with an existing workforce in a variety of roles, such as administration, marketing, engineering, mechanics, or almost any vocation, allowing them to learn onthe-job. Despite having a reputation for helping learners get into work, apprenticeships benefit organisations in equal measure, allowing them to grow their own talent pool by developing a motivated, skilled, and qualified workforce. Businesses who offer apprenticeships often see them as beneficial to their longterm development, and according to the British Chambers of Commerce, most employ an apprentice to improve the skills base within their organisation. ii In fact, 96% of employers report benefits to their organisation, with 72% marking improved productivity as a direct result of employing an apprentice. Other benefits noted include improved staff morale, lower staff turnover, and the introduction of fresh, new ideas. 96% 72 % 96% of employers report benefits to their organisation 72% of employers mark improved productivity How are apprenticeships assessed? Just like in the world of work, apprentices are required to complete various tasks throughout their apprenticeship, but unlike with traditional education, apprentices are able to work through assessments at their own pace, allowing them to focus on their weaker areas. This means that apprenticeships as a whole are easily accessible for a range of different people regardless of age, ability, and background.

2 English and maths have been at the forefront of the government s education reforms for post-16 education and training for some time, and the focus on year olds achieving A*-C GCSE grades has never been higher. As a result of this, English and maths play a large part of apprenticeships, even if the apprentice has already achieved the desired GCSE grade. The Specification for Apprenticeship Standards in England (SASE) states that apprentices are required to complete Functional Skills qualifications as part of the apprenticeship framework regardless of their previous education or training, and are required to be working at Level 1 for an Intermediate Apprenticeship, and Level 2 for an Advanced Apprenticeship. The aim of this is to increase the basic skills of the next generation of workers, and as a result, improve the overall position of England in the literacy and numeracy league tables. With this in mind, employers are expected to provide adequate training and resources to help apprentices improve their skills. The AELP, in their English and Mathematics in Apprenticeships: A step by step guide for providers iii, highlight the importance of employers using the resources available to them, to ensure that apprentices are fully supported throughout the course of their programme. The bksb solution helps both employers and apprentices to understand their current level of ability, and helps them to improve during the course of their apprenticeship and beyond. What is bksb? bksb write, develop, and supply interactive solutions to improve English, maths, and ICT skills. The bksb solution was the first product of its type, and our innovative approach to learning has become the blueprint for most organisations in the education sector. We have been at the forefront of skills assessment and development since 1994, and have been a beacon for on-screen teaching and learning since With over 42 million assessments taken, by over 27 million learners, we consistently monitor changes in the market and aim to provide a prompt solution when legislation and needs change; we were the first company in our sector to release a GCSE product in response to the recent Government policy shift. 42m 42 million bksb assessments have been taken to date Designed in-line with Functional Skills Standards and GCSE Specifications English and maths are considered the foundations for all learning, and great emphasis is placed on strategies to improve skills in these subjects. bksb allows organisations to support and upskill their apprentices and employees with rigorous, accurate assessments, and comprehensive, engaging learning resources. Our products are designed in-line with Functional Skills Standards and GCSE Specifications for English and maths, ensuring that quality is maintained, standards are upheld, and our products are fit for purpose.

3 The bksb solution effectively focuses on two vital components of education and learning; identifying strengths and weaknesses or skill gaps through assessment, and improving skills and knowledge through the use of interactive Learning Resources. The bksb Functional Skills Solution is a tried and tested five-step process, that allows the learner to effectively link everyday situations to academic learning. Our Initial Assessment deciphers the learner s current working level, and ensures that they are enrolled on a suitable programme, at a suitable level. Our Diagnostic Assessment determines skill gaps and produces an Individual Learning Plan, highlighting strengths and weaknesses. Our Learning Resources help learners to improve the skills they need to most, by providing them with essential knowledge in a range of topic areas. Our Skills Checks ensure that the learner has effectively learnt the topics taught via the Learning Resources. Our Revision Scenarios reaffirm knowledge prior to the learner taking a formal assessment. The bksb GCSE Solutions are the newest addition to our already comprehensive range of solutions, and were released as a response to the changes in educational policy regarding GCSEs. The GCSE products are designed to identify learners levels, in order to effectively place them on the correct course, and fill in gaps in knowledge to ensure they are fully prepared for upcoming exams. The GCSE Screener makes it easy to place learners on the correct course. If tutors or managers are unsure whether a learner should be placed on a GCSE or Functional Skills course, the GCSE Screener assesses learners skills, and directs them to the appropriate course. The GCSE Diagnostic Assessment identifies skills gaps, and produces an Individual Learning Plan. The GCSE Learning Resources are made available after the Diagnostic has been taken, and help learners to improve the skills they are lacking, in order to successfully prepare for exams. The flexibility of our solutions and our commitment to education, ensuring everyone, of every age, is able to reach their full potential is reflected in the fact that we are the UK s number one GCSE and Functional Skills elearning solution, and used by a wide range of employers, training providers, colleges, schools, and prisons.

4 How does bksb help organisations improve and increase productivity? As previously mentioned, Functional Skills have been a mandatory component of apprenticeships since October 2012, and despite a recent reshuffling of qualifications and greater emphasis on GCSEs within apprenticeships, Functional Skills will continue to play a large part of apprenticeships for the foreseeable future. Just as investing in equipment is important to the development and success of a company, investing in employees and looking at them as a key part of your business is vital to an organisation s success. bksb improves the support given to apprentices, employees, and employers, and our fully-hosted online platform, bksblive, allows access to our assessments and resources anywhere, and at any time, with the bksb process covering every angle for every learner. The importance of good English, maths, and ICT skills has never been more apparent. It is no longer regarded as simply good practice to offer training opportunities, with employers under more pressure than ever to provide access to learning for CPD for their staff; and apprentices are no exception. Ofsted are looking more closely at the opportunities provided for apprentices to improve their English, maths, and ICT skills. bksb helps employers satisfy inspectors by allowing both the learner and the employer to track and monitor their progress, as well as provide data for evidencing achievement. Apprentices are a cost-effective way to build your workforce and add depth to your business. Up-skilling these apprentices as well as existing employees has proven to make workplaces more productive iv, and increase employer loyalty and retention v. The bksb solution allows for easy integration of English, maths, and ICT Functional Skills and GCSE elearning into the workplace, and doesn t impact heavily on the working day. The bksb Initial Assessment and Diagnostic Assessment can be used to evidence Information, Advice, and Guidance (IAG) and match the candidate to the appropriate apprenticeship/traineeship framework, inform enrolment to the appropriate English, maths, and ICT Functional Skills level, and produce an Individual Learning Plan (ILP) and SMART targets to fill skill gaps. Assessors and employers can then use the bksb Learning Resources to support one-to-one, work-based learning. Independent learning is encouraged with bksb, mirroring the independence of an apprenticeship, thus allowing individuals to work at their own pace through the Learning Resources, Skill Checks, and Revision Scenarios to upskill and check knowledge. Upskilling apprentices and employees has proven to make workplaces more productive and increase employer loyalty and retention

5 There are benefits to both the GCSE and Functional Skills pathway. GCSEs are academic qualifications that are widely recognised by people of all ages. Individuals may therefore be more motivated to achieve a GCSE qualification, rather than a lesser known Functional Skills qualification. Functional Skills however are more practical qualifications. They equip learners with the basic, practical skills required in everyday life, education, and the workplace, meaning learners have the skills as well as the knowledge to successfully complete tasks. Our vocation-specific Learning Resources help to motivate and engage employees, and highlight the relevance of good English, maths and ICT skills in the workplace. Just as having a loyal workforce that you can trust to meet targets and work effectively is important, selecting the right candidates for roles is crucial. The bksb Initial Assessment can be used by organisations to assess candidates English, maths, and ICT levels prior to interview. This simplifies the selection process, allowing organisations to understand their future employees current levels. As many organisations require their staff to be working at a minimum of level 2 across the board, ensuring learning resources are in place to enable efficient, reliable, and simplified training is crucial. The bksb solution assists organisations in upskilling their staff in the same way as apprentices, almost guaranteeing a more streamlined, proficient and proactive workforce. What does the future hold for apprenticeships? With the General Election a distant memory, the country has settled into the first full Conservative Government since And just as they have for the last 10 years, apprenticeships and training are playing in large part in the Government s plans. Pre-election, the Conservatives advocated on-the-job training in the form of apprenticeships, believing that they are the best way to abolish youth unemployment and help get the country back on track. Following the announcement that apprenticeship numbers had declined by 12% before the election, the party were under more pressure to entice both organisations and individuals into undertaking apprenticeships. Pre-election, the Conservatives advocated on-the-job training in the form of apprenticeships, believing that they are the best way to abolish youth unemployment and help get the country back on track. In the first all-conservative budget in almost 20 years, the First Secretary of State, George Osborne, took what he called a radical, and frankly overdue, approach which has resulted in mixed reviews from the education sector, despite claiming to benefit both businesses and individuals alike. The announcement of a levy for large businesses is designed to create funding for the three million apprentices it hopes to train by However there has been some confusion as to how the will be implemented, and what exactly qualifies as a large business, with some SMEs concerned as to whether they fall into the Chancellor s large category. This announcement comes after Professor Lady Fiona Wolf called for such a levy earlier in the month. The educational advisor called for businesses including those not employing an apprentice to pay into a centralised pot of cash to help rebuild the programme. She said that transforming the apprenticeship programme required long-term funding, not bits of cash patched together by fiddling with departmental budgets. Lady Wolf s idea was rejected by the Confederation of British Industry, and faced sharp criticism from the Association of Employment and Learning Providers, so Mr Osborne s announcement came as somewhat of a surprise to many. The announcement is different to the Conservative s pre-election plan that apprenticeships would be funded by cutting housing benefit to childless couples, and by withdrawing jobseeker s allowance if people don t find work within six months. However the new move will mean that the revenue from the levy will help fund all post-16 apprenticeships in England and provide funding that each employer can

6 use to meet their individual needs. The Chancellor has said that the funding will be directly controlled by employers via the digital apprenticeships voucher, with companies that are committed to training able to get back more than what they put in. This, in essence, is the Conservative Government ensuring the future of apprenticeships and training by tying employers into the scheme for long periods of time. The new move will mean that the revenue from the levy will help fund all post-16 apprenticeships in England and provide funding that each employer can use to meet their individual needs. As well as introducing the levy, the Government have also focused on ensuring that the workers themselves get a good deal by announcing an increase in the apprenticeship minimum wage to 3.30 per hour from October. With the number of apprenticeship take-ups still down, the wage increase is a bid to entice more people to take up vocational training, and help cement the earn as you learn option at the forefront of people s minds no matter what their age. It is expected that a consultation will be launched over the coming months to discuss how the levy will be introduced and exactly which companies will be affected. Whatever the outcome of the levy, and however it affects the country, it s businesses, and it s population, one thing is certain, employers must make sure they are in the driving seat in order to ensure the apprenticeships and training delivered are high-quality, relevant, and suited to their needs. i ii iii iv v