Zodiac Training Part of World Class Peer Group

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Between September 2009 and March 2010 Zodiac Training and other local training providers have worked as part of an LSIS World Class Skills programme to identify employer responsive related issues.

The peer group was made up of four independent training providers all based in the North East,  Zodiac Training Ltd, BL Hairdressing Training Ltd, Tyneside Training Services Ltd and Accent Regeneration and Community Partnerships. The group members focused on a shared need to increase the number of Apprenticeships they were delivering.

One of the challenges faced was the need to increase their understanding of employer perceptions on the value of Apprenticeships and to use this to inform staff development activities and communication messages.

The providers identified a need to increase the number of employers who are willing to take on a new apprentice or use the Apprenticeship model to develop the skills of their existing workforce. The group shared the opinion that:

• Many employers misunderstand Apprenticeships and their potential value, particularly in relation to the 16–18 age group.
• The Apprenticeship experience could be improved for both employer and leaner by improving both parties understanding of what they are committing to do.

The peer group members believed that they could help to overcome these issues if the information made available to employers addressed specific misunderstandings and perceived barriers. Whilst employers were at the forefront of the group’s activity they wanted to develop an approach that could be applied to a wider target audience in the future. For instance, the group felt that these issues are also relevant to schools and potential employees.

The aims identified by the group resulted in the identification of three distinct activities:

Research
Undertake qualitative research designed to ascertain employer’s views on the benefits or barriers of using Apprenticeships. The research consisted of 50 interviews with employers from a range of sectors, including 12 face to face and 38 by telephone. Over a third of the employers interviewed were employing an apprentice at the time and therefore the study gained a range of views.

Develop joint communication materials
The research confirmed the need to simplify the messages and focus on value statements. The group devised the ‘You Know It Adds Up’ message accompanied by a suite of visuals that can be used with both employers and learners.

Staff development
During the course of a joint staff development event, 55 delegates took the opportunity to share the research findings and discuss how best to use it when engaging with employers. Staff members were joined by employers who took part in the initial research to help inform discussions. Speakers included the Executive Chair of a large local employer (Fergusons Transport), an apprentice and the Chair of the Tyne & Wear and Northumberland Association of Learning Providers.

Impact
Positive outcomes identified at this stage are:

• The formation of an action-focused peer group that plans to continue to work together in the future. •Increased provider understanding of the best approaches to undertaking research to inform internal decision making.
• The production of joint communications materials to deliver a clear, concise message to employers and learners.
• A reduction in marketing costs for each provider by jointly commissioning material. •Increased understanding of employer needs and barriers in relation to Apprenticeships amongst the majority of staff. •Individual actions have been developed by provider staff which detail what they will do as individuals to increase apprenticeship uptake.
• A large, national employer who has not used Apprenticeships in the region for some years demonstrating willingness to consider a change of approach as a result of attending the staff development event.

Denise McNaughton of Zodiac Training said: “I knew that as a group we would be able to share experiences and learn from one another. What I perhaps had not envisaged was the ability to draw on the wider skills base from each provider in order to meet our goals. It opens up real possibilities in the future for drawing on each other’s resource and managing cost efficiently.”