#recruitsmart #recruitsmart Employer guide to Higher Level Apprenticeships

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1 01 Employer guide to Higher Level Apprenticeships

2 Recruit smart with a Higher Level Apprenticeship Recruit smart with a Higher Level Apprenticeship South West College supported by the Department for Employment and Learning (DEL), Ulster University and many leading employers across the South West region is delighted to announce a major new jobs initiative for the South West region. The College has secured 150 FREE places on 10 new pilot Higher Level Apprenticeship (HLA) programmes specific to industry needs. These programmes will offer employers an opportunity to recruit smart by addressing the urgent gap in high-level skills shortages increasingly evident across the region. What is a Higher Level Apprenticeship? A Higher Level Apprenticeship (HLA) is a unique work-based programme which enables participants to earn while they learn and gain a nationally recognised professional qualification. Successful candidates will be employed in an organisation relevant to their chosen profession to gain valuable experience over a 2 or 3 year period. This experience will coincide with a close mentoring relationship and academic support provided by South West College as they progress through the Foundation Degree. The Higher Level Apprentice programme is widely recognised as the best combination of on the job training and employee higher level study available. The unique programme offers employees the opportunity to gain a third level qualification at Foundation Degree level, whilst improving business practice by developing a progressively skilled workforce essential for today s competitive global market. One of the main recommendations within NI Chamber s Action Plan is the importance of developing the talents and ambitions of our citizens. Higher education drives our knowledge economy by equipping our people with the higher level skills which companies, both local and newly investing, need to grow. Minister for Employment and Learning Dr Stephen Farry, DEL Big Conversation; 2015 South West College has led the way in developing the Higher Level Apprenticeship framework within Northern Ireland having successfully delivered two Higher Level Apprenticeship pilots; one in Engineering (Gold Programme) and the other in ICT. Due to the success of these programmes the College is now offering 10 new pilot programmes in key priority skills areas: 1 Higher Level Apprenticeship in Renewable Technology 2 Higher Level Apprenticeship in Information Technology 3 Higher Level Apprenticeship in Engineering 4 Higher Level Apprenticeship in Sustainable Construction & BIM 5 Higher Level Apprenticeship in Civil Engineering 6 Higher Level Apprenticeship in Accountancy 7 Higher Level Apprenticeship in Insurance 8 Higher Level Apprenticeship in Food Manufacturing 9 Higher Level Apprenticeship in Automotive Technology 10 Higher Level Apprenticeship in Creative Technology

3 04 05 Student views The employer s perspective The benefits for employers Luke McAlister has successfully completed a Higher Level Apprenticeship in Engineering (Gold Programme pilot) in association with Greiner Packaging. Commenting on his experience, Luke said; When I heard about the programme, I knew it was the route for me. I didn t think it was necessary to go to university and get myself into debt when I could earn a good wage and gain the qualifications that I needed. I had the advantage of learning with very experienced staff at Greiner Packaging and I really enjoyed the work required for the qualifications being delivered by South West College. I always wanted to be a Mechanical Engineer and this programme has given me this opportunity through a learning experience that I really enjoyed. Anne McKiver, Managing Director, Kiverco, has employed Higher Level Apprentices and is a strong supporter of the programme. Anne said; The South West College programme was great for both of us and our students/ employees. Throughout the programme they were actively involved within many areas of our manufacturing process, from design through to fabrication, fitting and installation. The academic and practical components of the programme taught at South West College complement the engineering sector very well, with the apprentices gaining invaluable hands on experience and skills while learning the theory behind it. deliver on many levels for business: 1. Meet the unique needs of your business With Higher Apprentices learning at work, they re able to develop the knowledge and occupational competencies demanded by specific job roles, and meet the unique needs of your business. 2. Increasing your productivity can keep your business up-todate with the latest techniques and technology, increasing your productivity for the future. 3. Recruit from a larger talent pool enable business to attract and retain employees with potential, expanding workplace diversity and benefiting the local community and wider economy. 4. Develop existing staff Employers can develop existing staff as they work with their higher apprentice, through mentoring opportunities and more. 5. Fill your higher level skills gaps Higher level skills are vital to business performance and economic growth through higher apprenticeships, you can fill your higher level skills gaps efficiently and effectively by tailoring the learning to your workplace. 6. Clear Progression routes There s a clear, work-based pathway, from craft to technician to professional and managerial skills. 7. Attract higher calibre staff can attract higher calibre staff and help employers develop a more motivated and committed workforce. 8. Train the way your business works With a higher apprentice, you are training someone for the way your business works from the start. The aim of the programmes is to develop the skills relevant to employers from day one.

4 06 07 The most frequently cited cause of hard-to-fill vacancies is that applicants lack the skills required (80%). The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB); 2015 Unless a course has environmental, electrical, mechanical and electronic engineers working and teaching in harmony with architectural input, then it is not relevant in this century. Tim Stokes, CREST Manager and sustainability expert. How is the course delivered? The Foundation Degree qualification of the Higher Level Apprenticeship will be delivered part-time, 2 evenings per week or 1 full day per week. Traditional teaching methods such as lectures, seminars and tutorials will be used. In addition some elements of the programme will be delivered through blended learning and the College Virtual Academy. To ensure that South West College fully meets its obligations under the Higher Level Apprenticeship programme, the College will appoint a Programme Support Officer (PSO) who will have responsibility for supporting HLA in the workplace. The PSO will act as a conduit between the College as the provider, and the employer, and will undertake all programme induction activities with the Higher Level Apprentices and their employer. For the duration of the HLA and the employer s participation in the programme the PSO will remain as the key contact point for administrative matters. Work-based mentoring will be used to support the learning process for HLAs and will be particularly important in the Work-Based Learning Project modules. For such modules, it is anticipated that the Work Based Mentor (WBM) and the Course Director for the Foundation Degree will provide a supportive role. The delivery of the Higher Level Apprenticeship programme will be delivered through a blended approach and students can also log on remotely from their workplace or home to access learning materials and course content.

5 08 09 Additional innovation support for employers Let your apprentices lead the way! As an enhancement to the new Higher Level Apprenticeship programme being offered by South West College, a SMART Development Voucher will be available for each of the businesses participating in the programme. This Voucher will be offered to each business and will allow access to the facilities within the innovation centres within the college covering areas including product design, digital media and renewable technologies. Each Voucher will allow the participating business to access up to two days of assistance from the College s Innovation Centre team which may be used to begin the investigation into a new business innovation activity such as product and service design, prototyping, testing, R&D scoping. Sectors include Engineering, Construction, Energy, IT, Digital Media and Professional Services. South West College values the importance of state-ofthe-art technologies in curriculum delivery. To ensure that students are trained to the highest standard all Higher Level Apprentices will have direct access to halfday and full-day Innovation Workshops in the College s European leading Innovation Centres. They will have access to: 3D printing CNC Machining Digital Fabrication E-commerce Social Media Marketing Sustainable Construction Design Thinking Intellectual Property Creative Problem Solving Photoshop and InDesign CE Marking Technical mentoring support will also be available directly to students who are working on innovating and developing the product lines of employers. What cost is involved? FREE. There are no fees attached to any of these programmes. This will allow the Higher Level Apprentice to start their highly skilled career without the student debt that many university students experience, and with the added bonus of gaining a wage.

6 How can you get involved? The recruitment process 1. Assess your needs and decide on your requirements with the support of an Apprenticeship Advisor at South West College. If a new post is required, recruitment can then take place through your own HR Department or with the assistance of your Apprenticeship Advisor. If up-skilling is required for an existing employee your Apprenticeship Advisor can assist with information and advice to match suitable candidates to your specific requirements. 2. Partner with your Apprenticeship Advisor to develop and deliver a working, mentoring and studying pathway to suit your business needs. The college liaison will ensure a limited burden on your business during this process. 3. Train your apprentice to benefit your organisational needs. The College may also enter your apprentice into awards or competitions to generate organisational profile locally and nationally. 4. Gain highly skilled, motivated employees that can drive your business forward. There are two options for recruitment of a Higher Level Apprentice: 1: New job recruitment Taking on a Higher Level Apprentice is the same as recruiting for a new position within your organisation. Following your assessment of needs with an Apprenticeship Advisor at South West College an employer s recruitment session can be set-up to assist with the recruitment process. Apprentices may be recent school leavers who have undertaken A-Levels or other suitable Level 3 qualifications. All applicants must be aged 18 years on or before 1 July 2015 and meet the minimum entry criteria set by the awarding body, further information is available on request. 2: In-house upskilling If your organisation can identify a skills gap in your workforce that could be addressed with a current employee the Higher Level Apprenticeship will provide an excellent opportunity for upskilling. The programme will allow you to enter a current employee onto the programme, provided they meet the necessary entry requirements, if you create a new role within the organisation to demonstrate career progression.

7 012 Please Note This brochure will be made available, on request, in alternative formats for those unable to access information in the standard format. For further information contact: Noreen McGirr HLA Employer Liaison M: W: E: 0 noreen.mcgirr@swc.ac.uk OR Una Taylor Personal Development and Employability Mentor W: E: 0 una.taylor@swc.ac.uk