Employers: Brighton and Hove need you!

The City of Brighton and Hove boasts nearly 40,000 people aged 16 and over educated up to A-Level standard, many of whom want to learn the skills that will give them long term employment prospects and contribute to making your business a success.

Brighton and Hove City Apprenticeship Strategy Partners in partnership with the Brighton and Hove Chamber of Commerce and Federation of Small Businesses, is looking for dynamic employers to harness the vast potential in the city’s non-graduate workforce as part of a win-win Apprenticeship Scheme, launched in January 2010.

Apprentices are committed, motivated workers who have taken an active decision to learn how you do business and find out how you want business done. The average salary for an apprentice is £170 per week and allows you the opportunity to tailor your future workforce to your needs for a fraction of the cost of a taking on and training up a potentially less focused candidate.

A national government survey of employers who took on apprentices found that 83% of employers rely on their Apprenticeships programme to provide the skilled workers that they need for the future and 59% reported that training apprentices is more cost-effective than hiring skilled staff.

Our partners at the Brighton and Hove Chamber of Commerce and the Federation of Small Businesses, who between them represent over 2,000 employers in the city, believe that bringing this people power together is good for business and good for Brighton and Hove, which is why we want to create 2000 more apprenticeships in the city by 2012.

Supported by these organisations, the Apprentices for Employers is a brand new portal hosted by Brighton&HoveJobs.com that connects employers with apprentices, and offers help, advice and support to businesses that want to take advantage of this fantastic opportunity.

You will be able to post your apprenticeship opportunities here for free, learn more about what benefits an apprentice can offer, and draw on the support and expertise on offer.

Peter Jenkins, Managing Director at e-Advantage Solutions, says: “As a small business taking on an apprentice is giving me a chance to grow my business faster by focusing on new sales and existing customer relationships. This is enabled by my apprentice removing more and more of the daily distractions every week they're with me.” 

How can my business benefit?
Whether you want to train existing staff, or attract your future workforce, there are a multitude of ways in which your business can benefit from apprenticeships.
Apprentices are:
•    Motivated
•    Loyal to the company
•    Full of new ideas
•    Eager to learn
•    More likely to stay on than non-apprentices
•    Low cost
•    Ambassadors for your company

And by taking part in an apprenticeship scheme, your business can:
•    Tailor your workforce to your exact needs
•    Secure the people you need for the future
•    Increase productivity
•    Keep ahead of your competitors
•    Have a motivated and satisfied workforce
•    Save money
•    Fill vacancies quickly
•    Give something back to the community (see box)

The Social Benefits
Apprenticeships can indirectly make Brighton and Hove a better city for us all.

Around 7,000 people graduate from the universities of Sussex and Brighton each year and in the region of 33% decide to stay in the city and find work. This means jobs that were traditionally filled by school leavers and less qualified people are increasingly taken by graduates who, although well qualified, often don’t have the necessary skills required for the job, and will often be on the look-out for a job that better reflects their ambitions.

The effects of the recession has left 8.8% of our young people as ‘NEET’s (Not in Education, Employment or Training) in 2010 - a 13% rise on the previous year. 
By taking on an apprentice, you can help reverse this worrying trend and reduce the devastating social effects of unemployment and social stagnation.

FAQs
1. What kind of person would I be taking on?
The Brighton and Hove Apprenticeship Scheme is targeting people aged 16 and over educated up to NVQ Level 3 (A Level equivalent) who have not had any further education.

2. How much will it cost?
Apprenticeships are very low cost, and represent extremely good value for money for employers. Taking on an apprentice will cost at least 50% less than taking on a better qualified person, and all costs are generally recouped in 2 years.

The National Minimum Wage for an apprentice aged under 19 is £2.60 per hour (£87.50 for a 35 hour week) but most employers prefer to pay more – the average salary for apprentices is £170 per week.

Apprentices aged 19 and over can also be paid the apprenticeship-level National Minimum Wage for the first year of their training, before qualifying for the full National Minimum Wage of £4.92 per hour for 18-20 year olds, and £5.93 per hour for those aged 21 and over.

The government is also able to contribute to the cost of training the apprentice at a local training provider.  Training for an apprentice aged under 19 will be covered in full, while contributions of up to 50% can be made for apprentices aged 19 and over.

3. What’s the process of taking on an apprentice?
Contrary to popular belief, taking on an apprentice is actually a very simple, process, and you will be supported from the outset by both the City Apprenticeship Strategy lead, and the training provider.

4. Which kinds of companies can take on apprentices?
Apprenticeships cover over 80 different sectors with 180 different apprenticeships available, including hospitality, engineering, the creative industries, financial services and business administration. For more information, visit: http://www.apprenticeships.org.uk/Types-of-Apprenticeships.aspx

5. Is there anyone apart from the employer supervising the apprentice?
Yes. Most apprentices study their apprenticeship within the work place supported by a qualified sector specific assessor. Some apprenticeship qualifications require the apprentice will spend some of the time off-site training with a training provider – how much time depends on what type of sector you work in and what qualification the apprentice is taking.

As the employer you are responsible for inducting your apprentices into their role and provide on-the-job training. You are also responsible for paying your apprentices’ wages.

6. Where can I source an apprentice?
The City Apprenticeship Strategy is on hand to connect apprentices with employers.  You can advertise your opportunities here as well as find information on apprenticeships in Brighton and Hove. 

For more infromatuon please contact Mike Eaton, Brighton and Hove City Apprenticeship Manager, on 01273 290376 or email mike.eaton@brighton-hove.gov.uk

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