James welcomes National Apprenticeship Week 2021, the annual week-long celebration of the amazing work being done by employers and apprentices across the country and here in North West Norfolk.
National Apprenticeship Week will take place from 8 to 14 February, and recognises how employers of all sizes have stepped up to the challenge during this unprecedented time.
During the week, employers are encouraged to promote the great work of their apprentices, whilst highlighting the many benefits apprenticeships bring to their business.
The College of West Anglia currently offer over 40 apprenticeships which makes it one of the biggest training providers in Norfolk.
To celebrate National Apprenticeship Week The College of West Anglia will be hosting an apprenticeship webinar on Thursday, 11 February 2021 at 14:00 – 15:30
It will highlight apprenticeship success stories and provide top tips for applying from an employer's perspective - PLUS a guest speech from Eddie ‘The Eagle’ Edwards.
Agenda:
- Introduction to Clarion Futures
- Apprenticeship Success Stories
- Eddie ‘The Eagle’ Edwards: Motivational Speech
- Confidence & Motivation Workshop
- Apprenticeship Opportunities
- Top Tips for Applying
- Q&A Session
This event is open to anyone interested in an apprenticeship, not just for Clarion Housing Group.
Commenting James said," I welcome National Apprenticeship Week and would encourage all students and young people to take advantage of the opportunities local employers and providers like the College of West Anglia have to offer. I would also encourage employers to look at the benefits of hiring an apprentice and also the new Kickstart Scheme".
What’s an apprenticeship?
An apprenticeship is a genuine job and under all circumstances an apprentice will be employed from day one. Apprenticeships combine practical training in a job with study.
- An apprentice will:
- work alongside experienced staff
- gain job-specific skills
- earn a wage and get holiday pay
- be given time for study related to their role (the equivalent of one day a week)
Why apply?
- Earn a real wage;
- Be trained in the skills employers want;
- Set yourself up for the future – apprentices enjoy marked salary increases when they complete their training, and those completing a higher apprenticeship could see increased earnings of an estimated £150,000 over their lifetime.*
Where to look for an apprenticeship?
More information, including videos of current apprentices, is available at apprenticeships.gov.uk. You can search and apply for vacancies on Find an apprenticeship on GOV.UK. Once registered on Find an apprenticeship, email and text alerts can be set up about new apprenticeship vacancies which may be of interest.
If you would like to view more information on a selection of well-known employers you can visit the vacancy snapshot at amazingapprenticeships.com. It displays a range of employers fact files outlining the types of apprenticeship vacancies available at these companies across the year. If you have a specific interest in a certain employer, it is also worth going direct to their recruitment site.
Contact the National Apprenticeship Helpdesk for further support on 0800 015 0400 or by email: [email protected].
Kickstart Scheme
The Kickstart Scheme provides funding to create new job placements for 16 to 24 year olds on Universal Credit who are at risk of long term unemployment. Employers of all sizes can apply for funding which covers:
- 100% of the National Minimum Wage (or the National Living Wage depending on the age of the participant) for 25 hours per week for a total of 6 months
- associated employer National Insurance contributions
- employer minimum automatic enrolment contributions
Employers can spread the start date of the job placements up until the end of December 2021.
You no longer need a minimum of 30 job placements to apply directly for a grant.
You can now apply for a Kickstart Scheme grant by either:
- applying online yourself
- getting help from a Kickstart gateway who is already working with the Kickstart Scheme
Further funding is available for training and support so that young people on the scheme can get a job in the future.
To find out more about the kickstart Scheme please visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/kickstart-scheme
