Modern Apprenticeships @sixthsensetraining - Tumblr Blog

Wish you could create and manage your own online content and digital marketing?

Well, now you can.

Sixth Sense Training's new Social Media Marketing apprenticeship makes it possible for small business owners to hire their own content managers without breaking the bank.

How?

The Scottish Government pay for young people to receive on the job training that's relevant to their work. Through various other schemes ran by the government and local authorities, it's possible to have an apprentice's wage partly funded. In short, this means that for as little as £66.25 per week, you could have a young person helping around the office who's being trained to develop websites, create newsletters and promote your business on social media.

What do we do?

Sixth Sense Training have a selection of talented candidates for you to choose from. We'll send you our three recommendations and you can decide whether to give any of them the amazing opportunity of being your apprentice. We'll guide you through the recruitment process and even help you claim any financial incentives that may be running at the time. Once the apprentice starts their employment with you, we'll visit regularly to make sure they're developing the skills they need to effectively market your business online. And the really good news is that if you're a small business, we'll do all of this for free!

Do I really need a digital marketer?

You may be thinking to yourself, 'digital marketing sounds like a luxury position, not a necessity'. We would recommend taking a few minutes to check out some of your slightly larger competitors and see whether they're active on the popular social media platforms. Visit their website and see what their online presence is like. You'll probably find that most of your successful competitors are pretty active, that's because digital marketing is one of the most cost-effective ways to reach your target audience

If you want to keep up with the competition and decide that now is the time to expand that part of your business, then don't wait any longer. It takes up to a year to complete our apprenticeship, however, you'll start seeing the benefits of the program almost straight away as your apprentice starts to learn how they can use digital marketing skills to promote your company, products and services.

For more information about recruiting an apprentice, click here or call for a chat.

If you would like one of your existing staff members to receive these skills, get in touch now and we'll arrange a free consultation visit.

01355 698011

#modernapprenticeships #southlanarkshire #digital marketing

New measure to help Scotland's young people

Participation Measure helps target support to young people not in employment, education or training.

Scotland's youth employment is at its highest since 2005 and a new Participation Measure for 16-19 year olds has been developed to provide a more comprehensive and detailed understanding of the activities young people are taking part in.

For the first time, we have detailed information on activity for 16 to 19 year olds rather than just school leavers, who only account for a quarter of the 16 to 19 year old population.

The Participation Measure, developed in partnership with the Scottish Government, improves the quality of information currently available and will help focus resources and policies to help young people make a successful transition towards employment.

The data gathered will inform policy planning, and allow stakeholders and local authorities to improve service delivery. It will also help provide a more tailored service to our young people.Statistical information

The Participation Measure shows that the proportion of 16-19 year olds participating in education, training or employment is 87.6%.

The highest participation rate is amongst 16 year olds at 95.6% with the vast majority being school pupils (82.5%).

The lowest participation rate is amongst 19 year olds at 77.8%, although some of this difference will be due to some data being unavailable for 19 year olds.

This should improve in future years with further development of the statistical information.

Over 100,000 people start Modern Apprenticeship in four years

OVER 100,000 people have started a Modern Apprenticeship in the past four years, according to new figures.

The target of delivering at least 25,000 MA opportunities has been surpassed for the fourth consecutive year, with today’s announcement that 25,247 were delivered in the past 12 months.

The figures also show that 80% of people were aged 16-24, and the achievement rate was 74%.

Over 25,000 people started an apprenticeship in the past year

Skills Development Scotland (SDS), the organisation that leads on the delivery of MA’s, is working to increase the number of opportunities to at least 30,000 MA’s each year by 2020.

Damien Yeates, Chief Executive of SDS, said: “The delivery of more than 100,000 Modern Apprenticeships over four years demonstrates that more and more people are recognising the value of earning while you learn.

“It’s a great testament to employers in Scotland that they have sustained their investment in Modern Apprenticeship opportunities right through the economic downturn.

“It’s also a great credit to the Modern Apprentices that so many have successfully completed or are on their way to completing their apprenticeship.

Impact

“The enduring appeal of Modern Apprenticeships is that they are driven by employer demand and for the individual they allow the apprentices to get a job and learn while they earn.”

Minister for Youth and Women’s Employment Annabelle Ewing said: “Apprenticeships not only offer our young people better job prospects – they also have a positive impact on businesses and industry, bringing value to employers and our economy.

“Youth unemployment has reached its lowest level in seven years and we compare very well to other EU countries, but I would urge more businesses to consider how an MA could help them grow and prosper.”

Funding for 500 modern apprentices

An extra 500 modern apprenticeships are to be funded over the next year through a £3.8m investment, the Scottish government has announced.

The funding will also be used to create more opportunities for senior secondary pupils through work-based foundation apprenticeships.

These are designed to provide industry recognised qualifications and first hand insight into the world of work.

The announcement coincides with the start of Scottish Apprenticeship Week.

The 500 places are the first step towards expanding Skills Development Scotland's current apprentice programme from 25,000 to 30,000 by 2020.

'Positive impact'

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: "Apprenticeships not only offer our young people better job prospects - they also have a positive impact on businesses and industry, bringing value to employers and our economy.

"We have already seen youth unemployment reach its lowest level in seven years and with further investment in our young workforce - like these 500 apprenticeships - we can hope to see that continue to improve."

Ms Sturgeon was due to meet some of the female apprentice mechanics at GTG Training, which is owned by Arnold Clark. The firm has seen 160 apprentices start this year, of which 31 are female.

The first minister said she wanted to make sure that apprentice opportunities are open to women as well as men.

The Scottish government pledged last week to encourage equality in Scotland's modern apprenticeship programme.

Vince Cable in pledge to double apprenticeships

The Lib Dems would double the number of employers offering apprenticeships to young people if the party wins its way back into government, Vince Cable says.

He said the move would mean 360,000 firms offering on-the-job training.

The Business Secretary said companies would be offered exemptions from National Insurance and apprenticeship grants as extra incentives.

The other main parties have already made pledges to create more apprenticeships for young people.

Labour says it would guarantee apprenticeships for every school leaver in England who "gets the grades" by 2020, while the Conservatives have promised three million new apprentices under a Tory government.

David Cameron said earlier this month the coalition government had created 2.2 million apprenticeships since 2010.

Education

Lib Dems

Main pledges

Guarantee qualified teachers, a core curriculum and sex education in all state schools

Ringfence the education budget for 2-19 year olds

A strategy to end child illiteracy by 2025

15hrs a week free childcare from the end of paid parental leave

What the other parties say

Mr Cable said: "The world is changing at an accelerated rate and we need to equip our young people with the skills they need for the future, to ensure they can compete in a global marketplace, in ever- changing technologies and the digital economy.

"That is why the Liberal Democrats will double the number of employers providing apprenticeships over the next five years and create more apprenticeship starts per year than Germany.

"To achieve these objectives requires significant investment in skills by both government and the private sector. As we grow our economy, the Liberal Democrats believe we must enhance adult skills training and our further education colleges."

Election 2015: Cameron welcomes new apprenticeships

Prime Minister David Cameron has welcomed announcements of 16,000 new apprenticeships, saying he wants the qualifications to be "level pegging" with university degrees.

Morrisons says it will train 9,000 apprentices over the next five years; and Premier Inn and Costa Coffee owner Whitbread plan 6,000 by 2020.

There were also commitments from National Grid and Dairy Crest.

The PM promised three million new apprentices under a Tory government.

Mr Cameron, who launched the Costa Coffee apprenticeship scheme, said: "We want apprenticeships to be level-pegging with a university degree giving millions more people the dignity of work and a regular pay packet.

"We've already created 2.2 million apprenticeships since 2010 but a future Conservative government is committed to opening up three million more high quality apprenticeships - to help strengthen our economy and communities and give millions more people financial security."

Policy guide: Education

This election issue includes funding for schools, university tuition fees and early years education.

Compare parties' policies

Labour says it would guarantee apprenticeships for every school leaver in England who "gets the grades" by 2020, while the Lib Dems have been keen to claim a share of the credit for those created in the last Parliament.

Nick Clegg's party says it would offer an extra £1 an hour for the lowest paid apprentices.

Andy Harrison, chief executive of Whitbread, said: "I firmly believe that investing in apprenticeships is essential to Whitbread's future success and to the health of the UK economy, as well as helping the next generation to achieve their full potential."

National Grid is taking on 500 new apprentices and Dairy Crest will take 200, as well as opening a new training academy.

Also on Thursday, Labour said it would guarantee teenagers face-to-face individual careers advice if it forms the next government.

The party's education manifesto also includes a pledge "to protect the entire education budget in real terms".

Modern apprenticeships 'on target' in Scotland

A target to have 25,000 modern apprenticeships (MAs) in place in Scotland this year is on course to be achieved, according to new figures.

Skills Development Scotland found there were 19,517 MAs in place by the end of the third quarter of 2014-15 - about 78% of the annual goal.

The latest total represents a 2% increase on the same period last year.

The statistics showed 53% of the new starts were aged 16 to 19 - slightly up on a year ago.

Modern apprenticeships offer work-based learning in a range of industries including tourism, engineering and life sciences.

'More opportunities'

Skills and Training Secretary Roseanna Cunningham said: "The Scottish government remains committed to our Modern Apprenticeship programme and today's figures are evidence that we are creating more opportunities each year, strongly suggesting that our annual target of 25,000 will again be exceeded.

"In the last four years we have created almost 100,000 new opportunities and by 2020 will create 30,000 new MAs each year.

"However, for that to happen, and for us to continue to support more young women and men into jobs, we need to keep encouraging more employers to consider taking a young person on in an MA position.

"Apprenticeships are a key part of action to address youth unemployment and we are currently implementing the recommendations from theCommission for Developing Scotland's Young Workforce.

"This will see closer working between business, colleges and local authorities to help grow the economy and ensure our young people are ready for work when the time comes."

Skills Development Scotland 'on track' to deliver 25,000 modern apprenticeships

Skills Development Scotland (SDS) says almost 13,000 have started modern apprenticeships in the first half of the financial year and is on course to meet its 25,000 annual target.

SDS, who work with employers and training providers to support modern apprenticeship (MA) places, paying a contribution towards the costs of training, said 12,993 people started an MA in the first half and 78 per cent of those were to people aged between 16 and 24.

In the previous three years more than 77,000 Modern Apprenticeship places were created. That’s 77,000 people offered a new opportunity which support not only them, but their employer and the wider economy.

2014 highlights

As another year comes to an end we can look back on a big 2014 here at Sixth Sense Training. We were able to successfully deliver National Training Programs to over 50 apprentices, most of whom now have permanent positions of employment. Some of these apprentices included ICT Professional Diploma candidates who were working along with the new framework for this qualification and are now happy to of achieved a high quality, industry recognised IT qualification. We have also launched our eLearning portal making our qualifications even easier to work through.This resource has already experienced a large uptake in users with new SVQ courses, units and other helpful material continually being added. If you have young people working in your office or IT department, or would just like further information, please get in touch by email or click on the link below to note your interest. Finally, we'd like to thank all of the organisations who have asked us to deliver their apprenticeships in 2014. for any employers who haven’t currently tried Modern Apprenticeships through Sixth Sense Training, we would like to encourage you to give it them a go, you won’t be disappointed!

#modernapprenticeships #training

A real future

After finishing, the majority of apprentices (85%) will stay in employment, with two-thirds (64%) staying with the same employer.

A third (32%) of all former apprentices had received a promotion within 12 months of finishing, and of those in work, three quarters (75%) reported taking on more responsibility in their job. Employers think that qualified apprentices are 15% more employable than those with other qualifications.

Almost 13,000 Modern Apprentice new starts in six months

Almost 13,000 people have started a Modern Apprenticeship this year - more than half of the annual target number.

The figures published today, 4 November, show that during the first half of the financial year 12,993 people have started a Modern Apprenticeship - 52 per cent of the annual target of 25,000 new starts each year.

More than 78 per cent of those new starts were taken up by people aged between 16 and 24 years old providing tremendous career opportunities for those young people.

Modern Apprenticeships offer work-based learning in a range of industries and sectors including tourism, engineering, life sciences and ICT.

Skills Development Scotland Chief Executive Damien Yeates said: "The number of Modern Apprenticeship places shows the commitment to the national training programme from industry and employers.

"They support Modern Apprenticeships because they benefit businesses and the economy, as well as helping young people build for the future.

"Skills Development Scotland will continue to work with partners to provide Modern Apprenticeship opportunities and widen access to national training programmes."

Cabinet Secretary for Training, Youth and Women's Employment Angela Constance said:"Today's figures make for encouraging reading and show we are well on track for at least 25,000 new starts this year and show a strong foundation for our planned expansion which will support more young people and more businesses across Scotland."

University leavers three times more likely than apprentices to be unemployed a year after finishing course

Just five per cent of apprentices are unemployed a year after starting their job hunt compared with 16 per cent of graduates and 13 per cent of those with A-levels.

The ground-breaking study also found that unemployment rates have risen in recent years at all levels of education – apart from among apprentices.

In further findings, it emerged that one in seven employers in the last three years has been forced to leave a post unfilled which had been earmarked for a recruit just out of education…

The new research examined the fortunes of ‘entry-level’ candidates – workers aged 16 to 24 who have gained a qualification and left education in the last year.

It found that, overall, 15 per cent of these workers were jobless a year after finishing their studies or training – about 140,000.

But the unemployment rate varied widely according to the level of qualification held. Among those who had completed apprenticeships, just five per cent were unemployed.

eLearning Support for our SVQ's now available

We realise that starting an SVQ can sometimes seem a little daunting at first. There may be some terminology mentioned that you don't understand, or maybe it's the thought of writing statements and completing units that sounds tough.

Our eLearning portal is designed to take the pressure off by providing a relaxed environment for our candidates to learn at their own pace and at a time and place of their choosing.

#elearning #svq #modernapprenticeships

Trending Blogs

Recently Viewed Blogs

Modern Apprenticeships