Springboard Bromley

Employers

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We can provide FREE training to your employees who do not have a Level 2 qualification! E-mail Laura Utton at laurau@springboardbromley.org.uk

Would your staff benefit from gaining National Vocational Qualifications (NVQ’s)?

Helping your staff develop their skills will help you get more from them. It also demonstrates your commitment to staff and makes them feel more valued. We are able to offer your staff the opportunity to gain recognised, worthwhile qualifications or to study short courses to meet your specific needs. The standards students work towards when undertaking an NVQ are broad and practical. They will enhance your staff’s performance and encourage self-development. And the best bit is the majority of the training takes place within the workplace - as part of their ongoing job, and it will not cost you anything if your staff are between 16-24 years old. We are able to offer a wide range of vocations including Business Administration, Childcare and ICT. We are also able to offer a short City & Guilds Multi Skills in Construction course. To discuss an individually tailored programme please contact Laura Utton, on 020 8460 7555 or e-mail laurau@springboardbromley.org.uk.

Maybe you are looking to recruit staff?

We have many young people who are looking for a job so they can work towards their Apprenticeship. Typically an Apprentice would need to work in you company for up to 4 days a week, for between 9 to 18 months. The time it takes for them to achieve their apprenticeship (and therefore the time they spend with you as an Apprentice) depends on their own individual ability.

At all times we will work in partnership with you and your learner to ensure all parties are supported and well informed. We provide all employers with a comprehensive ‘Work Placement Pack’. This will help you gain the most from engaging with work-based learning. Whatever programme you are interested in, the following should give you an idea of the activities you can expect to be involved in. The level of you involvement will obviously depend on the length of time you have a learner in your workplace.

On the first day of your learner starting you will need to provide a Health and Safety Induction. We can help you with this if necessary.
On a daily basis you will need to supervise, guide and allocate work to your learner. You will also need to monitor their attendance and view their work-based record (Apprentices) or experience log (E2E).
On a monthly basis you will become involved in your learner’s reviews and assessments.
Periodically we will ask you to provide ‘witness’ statements to confirm you have observed your Apprentice carrying out tasks relevant to the NVQ (National Vocational Qualification) they are studying as part of their Apprenticeship. We may also ask you to provide us with feedback on our programmes.

If you are interested in supporting an Apprentice please speak with Alison Willows, Marketing and Development Officer on 020 8460 7555 or e-mail janetw@springboardbromley.org.uk.

It may be that you feel taking on an Apprentice is too big a commitment. Or you may like to get to know an individual more before making a longer commitment. If that is the case then an E2E student may be more suitable for you. An E2E student is working towards taking the ‘step up’ to an Apprenticeship. The time an E2E student spends with you is flexible – it could be 2 days a week for 4 weeks, or an 8 week ‘block’! Whatever your circumstances we can work with you to suit your needs.

If you are interested in an E2E student please speak with Laura Utton, E2E Development Officer on 020 8460 7555 or e-mail laurau@springboardbromley.org.uk.

Still need convincing? Then read the benefits (to your business and the wider community!) to be gained from engaging with us to provide work-based learning.....

Skills shortages...

Data gathered during the National Employers Skills Survey (2003) suggested that at any one time there are over a quarter of a million job vacancies that are hard to fill, and approximately half of these cannot be filled due to skill shortages in the labour market.

Skills deficiencies inhibit those organisations that are often striving to grow and improve their performance. Recruitment problems are usually highest where the skills required of employees are relatively modest.

Engaging with and supporting Apprentices and E2E students can help fill the gap that just over one fifth of employers report they have. You can help your business grow and at the same time give someone a chance. Putting extra trained help to good use potentially enables you to carry more business – this may apply particularly to you if you are a small or developing business. Apprenticeships and E2E produce well-motivated, productive, skilled individuals. But, as with anything worthwhile you get as much out as you put in!

Cost-effective recruitment...

You can utilise your support of our programmes as a means of future cost-effective recruitment. Involvement with learning enables employers to recruit staff who are familiar with your company’s culture, and are trained or ready to be trained in skills directly related to your business’ operations. It’s almost like growing your own staff!

Tackling social and economic disadvantage...

The Government has realised that workforce development is needed to fuel economic growth, particularly in disadvantaged areas of the country. Helping local people to improve their employability is crucial in tackling the problems of social and economic disadvantage – you can play a role in this.

The Government’s Social Exclusion Unit (1999) found that for most people the prospect of employment was the most powerful incentive to improve their skills. The visible involvement of employers such as yourself in work based learning initiatives can begin to impact on people’s expectations and achievements. Many employers welcome the opportunity to work with the community since they are keen to demonstrate their commitment to social inclusion and equality of opportunity. This also has a positive impact on the morale of existing employees, who can see the company shares their values and is committed to training.

Have your say...

Engaging with Apprenticeships and E2E enables you to have your say in training the future workforce – employers can be highly influential in making work based learning successful and relevant to their business needs. At Springboard Bromley we want to work with you in partnership - we are keen explore your needs to ensure that we match them with the interests, skills and knowledge of our apprentices.

Improve existing employees skills...

Apprenticeships and E2E also provide an opportunity for existing employees to develop valuable mentoring, guidance and supervisory skills. Many employees welcome the opportunity to ‘up-skill’ since they realise the benefits this brings them as individuals, aside from the overall benefit to the company.

Useful advice and support...

You will receive advice from us on the legislative requirements relating to Health and Safety and Equal Opportunities that affect employers as well as Apprentices and E2E students. We produce a quarterly newsletter where we aim to provide general information on these and other areas which may be of interest to you. You can speak with one of our Training Advisors at any time for specific help and guidance.

Here's what one of our work placement providers thinks about us:

Clive is a senior staff member at Foal Farm, where they take Animal Care students. "Foal Farm has been taking Apprentices for about 12 years now. We benefit from the extra help and interest shown by the learners - they bring new ideas. It is good that they are with us for a year or two - this ensures a level of continuity and gives the students time to gain a level of understanding of the animals. We have employed two former NVQ learners in the past. We have always been keen to take people from the local community and give them the opportunity to learn. Sallyann Whitehouse, Springboard's Animal Care Manager, is very easy to work with. She has taken the level of care given to the trainees to the next level. I feel students get a great deal out of the programme and I feel confident in dealing with Springboard." To find out more about Foal Farm call them on 01959 572 386 or visit their website at www.foalfarm.org.uk.