Bringing together business, education and students

You’re hired!

National Apprenticeship Week, held in February 2009 and championed by Sir Alan Sugar – “apprentices make things happen” – successfully highlighted the fact that apprenticeships offer a real opportunity for those already in the workplace to develop their skills, or for those new to industry or looking to retrain, the necessary technical skills alongside key transferable skills.

Train for a brighter future

“How can we get out of this mess?” asked a recent issue of Time magazine. When a recession hits, our instincts lead us to cut costs wherever we can. However, training should not fall victim to the current economic downturn – after all, businesses who fail to invest in their staff during tough times are two and half times more likely to fail than those who do.

Instead, the focus for both organisations and individuals should be on putting the necessary skills in place for whatever is around the corner.

The apprenticeship route offers a holistic solution to individual training by combining NVQ qualifications with key skills, a technical certificate and on the job experience, usually in partnership with a specialist provider. This means apprentices will gain transferable skills as well as those relevant to their current role.