The Workboat Association’s Post

With National Apprenticeship Week coming up next week, it’s a good time to think about hiring apprentices. Many organisations are looking to recruit for their September intake in order to make good use of their Apprenticeship Levy funds. Here are our ten top tips for employing an apprentice. #apprentices #HR #empllymentlaw #lewissilkin

Lewis Silkin has provided top tips for employing an apprentice. It recommends that employers have a valid apprenticeship agreement in place to be eligible for Apprenticeship Levy funding in England and Wales and to prevent apprentices from acquiring enhanced dismissal protection. The blog also states that apprentices should be recruited in the same way as other employees, with thorough background checks and consideration of immigration statuses. Other tips include offering financial assistance and mentoring for apprentices, clearly setting out performance expectations, and being cautious when dismissing them. Lastly, the post advises that the apprenticeship agreement should state what will happen once it is complete. #Apprenticeship #EmploymentLaw #RecruitingStrategies https://lnkd.in/edbkgUJ4

It's time to get thinking about your September 2024 apprenticeship intake and making the most of the apprenticeship levy. Here's our ten top tips for employing an apprentice #NationalApprenticeshipWeek

Great insight on #registeredapprenticeship #funding from Ryan Craig! "Pay-for-success" will compensate employers for every apprentice they hire, rather than rewarding organizations who are simply great grant writers but don't deliver on their promises. I'm hopeful that this common sense measure takes off soon! "The Department of Labor has been funding #apprenticeships via #grants: trying to pick winners likely to create apprenticeship programs and apprentice jobs. Because it turns out government agencies aren’t great at picking winners; they’re much better at picking applicants who are good at applying for government grants. The solution – and what every other developed country ahead of us in the apprentice race has figured out – is to pay for success by providing funding every time an apprentice is hired and trained."

Modernizing the apprenticeship rules is hard work. I know it is hard from experience—more than a decade spent at the U.S. Department of Labor. It requires compromise with the public, employers, and workers. Not everyone likes the end product. There's a lot to like in the #apprenticeship rules. The introduction of National Occupational Standards will improve quality and design. It also eliminates State Apprenticeship Councils' authority to approve programs, creating efficiencies in the system. Today, I'm thrilled to collaborate with my colleagues (Deborah Kobes, Bhavani Arabandi, Daniel Kuehn, Robert Lerman, and Lindsey Tyson) at Urban Institute to suggest improvements to the proposed #apprenticeship rules. 🔍 4 critical concerns stand out: 1️⃣ Are Apprenticeship Regulations the Right Vehicle for Improvement: We question if rulemaking is the best approach for some of the untested changes proposed, especially when collaboration beyond the apprenticeship system is necessary. 2️⃣ Lack of Evidence: Some proposed changes lack evidence demonstrating system and program quality improvements. 3️⃣ Burden on Sponsors and States: Complex regulations may deter sponsors and employers, hindering the scale of apprenticeships required. States need more incentives and support to ensure consistency in delivery. 4️⃣ Lack of New Funding: Implementing these proposed regulations will require much more public financial investment. Adding a range of new obligations on employers should be coupled with investment. That investment is lacking in the rule. Let's strive for effective, evidence-based policies for a thriving National Apprenticeship System. #apprenticeshipswork #workforcesolutions

The U.S. Department of Labor recently proposed the most comprehensive effort to modernize the #RegisteredApprenticeship system in over 15 years. The department's focus on quality and equity is an important lens for improvements to #apprenticeship. My Urban Institute colleagues Bhavani Arabandi, Zach Boren, John Marotta Jr., Daniel Kuehn, Robert Lerman, Lindsey Tyson and I provided comments (available here: https://lnkd.in/e5cRjhQG) about the promising ideas in the regulations, as well as our concerns. Highlights in the regulations include creating National Occupational Standards (building on Urban's Occupational Frameworks: https://lnkd.in/eub5Vrf8) that can build consistency and quality to programs across the country, improvements to data collection with metrics that can help us understand diversity, equity, and outcomes in apprenticeship, and an attempt to build consistency in the roles of state apprenticeship councils. Our concerns span four themes: First, we do not believe that rulemaking is the most effective strategy to implement many of the proposed changes, particularly those that are still untested or require the cooperation of agencies outside of the apprenticeship system. Second, many of these changes are not backed by evidence showing that they will improve system and program quality. Third, given the essential role of the voluntary participation of sponsors and employers in the system, taken as a whole, we are concerned that the regulations add burden and complexity to the apprenticeship system that will work at cross-purposes with scaling apprenticeship. Fourth, implementing many of these regulations would require significant financial investments by program sponsors, state agencies, and the Office of Apprenticeship, but the regulations do not provide those additional resources. The Career and Technical Education (CTE) Apprenticeship model is a particularly bold but risky change. We argue that #youthapprenticeship should be integrated into the existing Registered Apprenticeship model, to both minimize confusion and maximize the power of Registered Apprenticeship. The great ideas in the model can still come to life with the funding and flexibility needed to work for youth, and with a design that also supports economic advancement for out-of-school young people.

Well there goes the starting pistol on the next leg of the apprenticeship journey... AELP had previously argued that IfATE's scope had become too broad and as a result, had been hamstrung from mission creep from its initial purpose, so should be a welcome change. But moving forward we must also avoid potentially more bureaucracy and burden on the sector. Skills England will also not appear overnight - our legislative system isn't that quick! So highly likely there will be interim arrangements to ensure work starts on this immediately. Skills England is a tier 1 Labour priority to get moving on during the first 100 days in office. #SkillsEngland #SkillsAndGrowth #Apprenticeships #AskAshworth https://lnkd.in/eUF8hit2

Attention Employers! 📢 From April 2024, The Minimum Apprenticeship Wage will increase, highlighting the the government's recognition of apprentices' value and the key roles they play within industries. A more competitive salary can attract motivated and skilled individuals and is offset by the benefits associated with ➡ paying no employer national insurance on apprentices under 25 ⬅ and ➡ £1000 incentive for each apprentice you hire aged 16 -18. ⬅ Enhance your competitive edge and bridge skills gaps to build a resilient, skilled, and competitive workforce, ready to navigate the challenges and opportunities of the future. Read More: https://lnkd.in/e7hJJ8Rn #ApprenticeshipReform #BusinessGrowth #InvestInYouth #nationalminimumwage #nationalappreticeshipwage #apprenticeships

What skills does your workforce require? Joanne Giles of Essex Chambers of Commerce & Industry chaired a fascinating discussion at the LSIP professional services roundtable hosted at the First Intuition EAST ANGLIA offices in Chelmsford It was great to see the room full to capacity with local professional services businesses and other stakeholders When asked “what skills does your workforce require?” The discussion focused on young adults entering the workforce, and their need for: - communication skills, especially verbal such as using a phone - emotional intelligence, reading a room, interpreting body language - being willing to challenge information they see, having an inquiring attitude - ability to think critically - building and investing in long term relationships - realistic ambitions about how quickly they will progress, being patient with earning senior positions How would you answer that question?? 🤔 Jo revealed that 58% of employers don’t offer apprenticeships to 16 - 18 year olds That’s pretty shocking considering the way that entry-level apprenticeships standards cover so many of those employability skills gaps identified 🤔 Thanks for their insight to Glyn Mummery Colin Corrigan Nicki Ramsbottom MCIM Clare Wilson (Assoc CIPD) John Holliday Abi Wilson ACA Abigail Hubert Clare Barlow Ashley McClinton Amanda Waite Paula Hornett 👏 Great to also have support from accountancy awarding bodies Marc Jerrard from ICAEW and Yvonne Eaves of AAT 😊 Well done to David Malthouse for kicking off proceedings talking about how important career skills are in the 4 accountancy apprenticeship standards we deliver 👏 Thanks to my colleagues Karen Hick Emma Liddell Shelly Tweed Leah Holdeman for their work organising such a successful event 🙌 #skills #apprenticeships #accountancy #lsip #teamfi

National Apprenticeship Week starts on Monday; an opportunity for the education and skills sector to promote and support the apprentice community. With this in mind, you may be thinking about hiring apprenticeships for the next academic year. Our article has 10 top tips that you should consider#.