Apprentices: Young, Free and Singularly Determined

What is an apprenticeship?

• Nationally recognised qualification

• A job with training

• Made up of NVQ, Key Skills and Technical Certificate

• Level 2 equivalent to 5 GCSEs grades A to C

• Level 3 equivalent to three A Levels

• Level 4 equivalent to Higher Education

Classic Apprenticeship: new recruits aged 16-18 years old

• Maximising your return on investment

• Hidden benefits

The graduate alternative: new recruits aged 19-24 years old

• Eminently capable 18/19 year olds going for an apprenticeship instead of university

• Same aspirations as graduates but with different expectations – working as the way to learn and develop

• Same hidden benefits

Developing your existing team

• Apprenticeships are for adults, too – including those already working for you

• A good way to motivate people to develop

• Ideal for lower skilled entrants to employment

• Progression to supervisory roles

• Advanced and Higher apprenticeships

Return on your investment

What do businesses say?

• 92% said the programme motivated staff and increased job satisfaction

• 81% said apprentices generated higher overall productivity

• 74% said that apprentices are more loyal, remaining at their company longer

• 66% said apprentices made them more competitive

• 50% of local businesses with an apprentice have recruited another

The myths of apprenticeships

• Apprenticeships are for young people

• Apprenticeships are not real jobs

• We will lose staff to training

• Apprenticeships are about engineering

• Apprenticeships last for years

West Herts College:Your local training provider

• Brand new Watford campus – providing apprentices with state of the art learning facilities

• Kings Langley campus – our specialist centre for motor vehicle, electrical installation and plumbing trades

• Ofsted grade 1 Outstanding – providing high quality education and training

Apprenticeships atWest Herts College

• Barbering

• Business support services

• Child care

• Construction

• Customer service

• Digital media

• Electrical installation

• Finance

• Hairdressing

• Health and Social Care

Apprenticeships atWest Herts College

• Hospitality and catering

• IT

• Leadership & management

• Maintenance operations

• Motor vehicle maintenance

• Plumbing

• Removal operations

• Sport and fitness

• Teaching assistants

To find out more…

• Skills for Business Team

• West Herts College

• 01923 812350

• S4B@westherts.ac.uk

• Skills-for-business.com

Q & A