Positive outcomes from Southampton apprenticeship scheme

Bob Dimpfl is an external relations officer at CDG’s Southampton centre. Here, he chronicles the chain of events that saw 22 local apprenticeships offered through collaboration with a number of other bodies.


"In September 2009 CDG was approached by Jobcentre Plus (JCP) in Southampton to design and deliver a two week pre-employment training course for a new Future Jobs Fund apprenticeship scheme involving major public sector employers in the region.

The employers included Southampton City Council (SCC), Southampton University Hospitals Trust (SUHT), Southampton Primary Care Trust (SPCT) and Southampton Solent University (SSU).

Apprenticeships would be offered in business administration and healthcare, and would provide full time, salaried employment for 12 months. They would also include the relevant NVQ level two qualification.

Originally, a group of over 50 candidates was selected by JCP. Three weeks before the start of the course, CDG organised pre-screening interviews to narrow the candidate list down to match the guaranteed 32 apprenticeships.

CDG’s programme team had been working closely with JCP and SUHT for four months to design and deliver a pilot pre-employment training course for the hospital trust and NHS in business administration and healthcare.

It was decided to use this pilot as the model for the apprenticeship course with additional direct input from the employers and DWP and extended ‘on the job’ work ‘tasters’. The course content included accredited training in customer service as well as skills enhancement in application form writing, interview techniques, identification of transferrable skills, confidence and motivational coaching, business etiquette and assessment in ITC skills, literacy and numeracy. Parallel to this was the inclusion of formal organisational induction and familiarisation with the employer through workplace experience.

Of the 32 individuals invited onto the course, 29 started and progressed through the various stages of the training, gaining confidence, practical experience and qualifications along the way.

The final three days of the course were devoted to the application forms supported by employers’ human resources departments, preparation for the interviews and interview techniques. Interviews subsequently took place and of the 29 starters, 17 were offered apprenticeships with an additional five from direct contact with JCP.

This strategic partnership is an alliance of employers, DWP and trainers, and has been formed to focus on the needs of local employers and individuals and work with them to find creative ways to address their skill and workforce development and provide enhanced routes into work and education. The Skills Development Zone is an initiative with employers at it’s heart."

Click here to watch interviews with some of the apprentices on the SSU website. 
 

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