TEES VALLEY SKILLS NEWSLETTER ISSUE: 13 Welcome Welcome to issue 13 of the Tees Valley Skills Newsletter, produced by Tees Valley Combined Authority This issue is a special edition focused exclusively on apprenticeships across all industry sectors Apprenticeships are a great opportunity to work for a real employer and gain practical, workplace skills An apprentice earns a real salary, gains real qualifications as well as invaluable experience Apprenticeships are available across all industries and there are three levels of apprenticeships: • Intermediate level – equivalent to a level (GCSE) qualification; • Advanced level – equivalent to a level (A-level) qualification; and • Higher/degree apprenticeships – equivalent to a level 4-7 qualification (Diploma of higher education to Master’s Degree) Once an apprenticeship is complete, the apprentice can go into employment, a further apprenticeship or university More information is available at www.apprenticeships.gov.uk This newsletter supports the Tees Valley Skills website – for regular updates please visit www.teesvalley-ca.gov.uk/skills FOCUS ON apprenticeships january 2017 Apprentice progresses at Tees Valley Combined Authority Alexandra Hawkes, a 21 year old from Stockton-on-Tees, is helping to deliver over £32,500,000 worth of Tees Valley Business Compass Projects which are funded through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), in her new role as ERDF Business Compass Administration Support Officer at Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA) Alex started at TVCA as an Apprentice Enterprise Assistant in February 2016 as part of her Level Business Administration apprenticeship, supported by Stockton Learning and Skills “At the end of my education I wasn’t sure which path to take, however I decided that I wanted to work in a business environment so a Business Administration apprenticeship seemed like a good idea The whole process was easy and within a few weeks of working for TVCA I knew this is what I wanted to “Before I started my apprenticeship I had communication issues, but I feel Tees Valley college helps tackle skills shortage Redcar & Cleveland College is helping a North Yorkshire care provider tackle a chronic skills shortage in the care industry Sixteen apprentices from Redcar & Cleveland College were hired to work at the Abbey Care Village in Scorton near Richmond, with eight of the students working towards a Level qualification in Health & Social Care, seven studying for a Level Diploma in the same subject and another student nearing completion of a Level Diploma in Hospitality Following that boost, the college announced it was supplying another batch of apprentices to the care village, which had previously struggled to find workers with the requisite skills Fifteen students embarked on a Level qualification in social care while gaining valuable work experience at the company, which provides residential care, nursing care, a mental health support service, a respite service for carers and support for people with learning disabilities tees valley skills newsletter like I really received the support and confidence I needed from TVCA to improve When the full time position came up I felt like I had the confidence and experience to go for it and doing the apprenticeship has made this adjustment to full time work so much easier.” Alex’s new line manager Lesley Short said “Alex is a valued member of our team; she is very enthusiastic, willing to learn new skills and always keen to help.” The apprentice vacancy left by Alex has recently been filled by 19 year old Ameer Khan from Middlesbrough, who is completing a level apprentice in Business Administration The partnership comes as the care industry battles to overcome a crippling skills shortage Figures from the UK Commission for Employment and Skills show that up to two million more workers will need to be trained and recruited by 2022 to meet national demand – more than half the current care workforce Shirley Leighton, training manager at Abbey Care Village, said: “It’s no secret that we need new talent coming into the industry, not just young apprentices but also older workers with the necessary skills and experience Our partnership with Redcar & Cleveland College is helping us to tackle the issue head on.” The partnership also highlights the college’s commitment to adult apprenticeships All fifteen of the second tranche of apprentices are over the age of 24, as are the seven Level Health & Social Care students from the first batch For further information, please call 01642 473132 or visit www.cleveland.ac.uk ISSUE: 13 | FOCUS ON apprenticeships Research Round Up Apprenticeships Emerging Skills Needs of Tees Valley Figures released from the Skills Funding Agency in December 2016 show that the number of Tees Valley residents The UK Commission for starting an apprenticeship is on Employment and Skills Working the rise compared to last year Futures model predicts that there will be 133,000 job Around 9,920 people living opportunities in Tees Valley in Tees Valley started an between 2014 and 2024 13% apprenticeship in 2015/16 of these are projected to be compared to 8,840 people in new job opportunities and the 2014/15, an increase of 1,060 people or 12% This compares remaining 87% replacement jobs from those who will leave to a 2% rise nationally Apprenticeship starts are much the workforce There is an increasing need for higher higher in Tees Valley than level skills with over half of nationally; 6.2% of 16-35 year olds started an apprenticeship the overall job opportunities and 90% of the new job in 2015/16 compared to 3.5% opportunities requiring a nationally level or above qualification However there will still be a need for intermediate and In 2016 there were over 28,870 lower level skills, particularly in job vacancies based in Tees replacement jobs Valley advertised online, a For more information or to view 12% increase on 2015, with other research reports please a large rise in the number of visit https://teesvalley-ca.gov advertisements for secondary uk/partners-portal/ school teachers, care workers Job Vacancies Embracing the new apprenticeship standards in the North East National hospitality training provider, HIT Training, is working with Stokesley-based Chapters Deli, Bistro & Wine Bar to be among the first in the county to deliver the new apprenticeship standards for Commis Chefs The standards, which came into effect from 1st August 2016 focus on an end assessment, which the apprentice works towards and prepares for, over the 12 months of the programme and were developed by the Apprenticeship Trailblazer Group Speaking about the company’s decision to implement the new standards, Jane Ablett, one of the owners, at Chapters Deli commented, ‘When we first approached HIT Training about taking on an apprentice, it was interesting to learn how the new standards had many benefits, especially in encouraging talent levels which will enable us to offer greater flexibility in how we develop our apprentice We can decide exactly what training and development techniques to use to help Katie, our apprentice, grow and this will be overseen by HIT Training” HIT Training is a specialist national training and apprenticeship provider for the hospitality and catering sector For more information on HIT Training, please visit: www.hittraining.co.uk and dentists Apprentice Beth weighs in with wagon-loads of talent Seventeen-year-old Beth Carwardine is showing she’s no lightweight when it comes to tackling an apprenticeship – because she weighs wagons for a living Beth, from Darlington, says she owes her burgeoning career in logistics to a good grounding at Middlesbrough College Beth won a place as an apprentice with Cobra Middlesbrough Ltd, a Road/ Rail Terminal based in the old Middlesbrough Goods Yard Beth and her two fellow colleagues, weigh all the lorries in and out of the North Road site, after the college fixed her up with a work placement there She said: “When I left school I did a few different things, but then I saw the NVQ course in logistics at the college and thought it looked interesting As part of the course, they arranged the work placement for me – and I really enjoyed it My work includes waving wagons on and off the weighbridge, handling invoices, logging orders and handling other kinds of admin.” Cobra liked Beth too, and took her on She’s now starting an 18-month apprenticeship with the company, and returns to the college one day a week as part of it Geoff Robinson, operations director at Cobra, said: “Beth is like a breath of fresh air She is full of tees valley skills newsletter enthusiasm and learning more skills every day We look forward to her taking on more responsibilities in the future” Beth is studying IT level and Supply Chain level at the college, and says she loves it there “I’d 100% recommend other young people – they treat you like an adult and help you all the way through,” she said College principal and chief executive Zoe Lewis said “Beth is a good example of a student who is following the apprenticeship route into an excellent career” For more information on apprenticeships at Middlesbrough College please visit www.mbro.ac.uk january 2017 You’re hired! It proved to be lucky for some as 13 young apprentices were hired by a major UK employer The Student Loans Company (SLC), Darlington, gave the Darlington College apprentices the opportunity to step onto the career ladder after learning the ropes of customer services and administrative work at its offices at Lingfield Point Apprentices also gained NVQ qualifications in business administration through Darlington College SLC team leader Tanya Greenall said: “This is the first time we have taken in a cohort of business and administration students from Darlington College and we are delighted to have been able to offer each one of them a full-time position following their successful apprenticeships We were looking for young people with a good work ethic, who wanted to learn, work and study at the same time and who were willing and flexible The standard of all the college apprentices was particularly high They integrated into the company extremely well, produced a high standard of work and have all become very valuable members of our team.” Alongside studying for their qualifications at college, the apprentices duties included mail handling, batching and scanning of loan applications, evidence returns, data entry and identity verification Amy Wilson, 19, of Darlington, said: “Working for the SLC really appealed to me It is a large company in Darlington where I knew I could develop my career Being an apprentice meant that I could learn in a real working environment, earning while I was learning and get my qualifications at the same time I’ve thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of my apprenticeship and I’m delighted to have been offered a full-time job.” For more information on opportunities at Darlington College visit www.darlington.ac.uk Liam’s a bright light after choosing the apprenticeship path Liam Hanson (21) is one of the leading lights to come through Hartlepool College of Further Education in recent years such an impression that he was offered the job just half an hour later “I think they could see how keen I was to be honest,” he added “My dad was a welder, one of my grandads was a senior contracts manager and the other was a steel erector,” said Liam “I think it just grabbed me, and from a very early age I wanted to follow that on I did think about going to university at one stage, but when I was 16 I went to Hartlepool College of FE and did a BTEC Level in Construction & Built Environment Liam’s first role saw him working with the street lighting team, and he was then moved onto the customer services team where he improved his communications skills by dealing with various complaints from residents “On the last year of my course, my tutor told me about an apprenticeship scheme that Hartlepool Council were running in civil engineering I fancied it, and thought I had nothing to lose.” He added: “Once I’d learned that side of the job, I was back out getting involved with lighting problems and the installation of the LED street lights I learned as I went along but I had a greater understanding of it and was allowed to coordinate jobs for contractors I’m on the top wage for an apprentice now; I’m earning more than £1,000 a month.” Suited and booted, Liam went for an interview at the Civic Centre and made Liam will complete his apprenticeship in December, but has opted to take on a Hard work and dedication pays off! progressed to a Level apprenticeship – which means working towards the equivalent of a foundation degree, while avoiding racking up any university debt Coming from a family of accountants, 20-year-old Kashif Farooq has always had a flair for maths and therefore, not surprisingly, wanted to work in the money management business Starting his career journey with a level apprenticeship through Stockton Riverside College Kashif soon impressed his bosses at Datum Ltd Now he has successfully two-year extension which will take him to a higher level Having already pocketed NVQ levels and in civil engineering, he is working on an NVQ Level at Hartlepool College and an HND Level – both in civil engineering – at Durham College “My overall target is to be a supervisor, then progress to be a manager I want to lead rather than be led, I always aspire to go higher,” said Liam For more information visit www.stockton ac.uk/courses/apprenticeships/ “I enjoy mixing theory with practical experience,” he said “This way I get the opportunity to put into practice what I have learnt at college.” He admits that avoiding student fees was one of the many reasons he opted for an apprenticeship The future is looking bright for Kashif who is already planning to move on to his Level apprenticeship, taking him another step closer to his dream of becoming a Chartered Accountant tees valley skills newsletter ISSUE: 13 | FOCUS ON apprenticeships TVCA Apprenticeship Hub The Tees Valley Apprenticeship Hub is your one stop shop to find out all you need to know about apprenticeships The hub features general facts about apprenticeships including: • The levels of apprenticeship that can be followed; • What an apprenticeship entails; • A parent’s guide to apprenticeships; • Links to the national ‘Get in Go Far’ website; and • Various apprenticeship resources The Tees Valley Apprenticeship Hub also hosts live apprenticeship vacancies within the Tees Valley, all available for you to apply to It also provides you with information on Higher and Degree Level Apprenticeships through the ‘Tees Valley E-prospectus’, helping you to find out who’s offering these apprenticeships in Tees Valley The Apprenticeship Hub can be accessed at: www.teesvalley-ca.gov.uk/apprenticeship-hub Free impartial apprenticeship IAG for your school! Did you know you can get free impartial apprenticeship information, advice and guidance in your school? The Tees Valley Learner Provider Network are part of the Apprenticeship Support and Knowledge for Schools project The project aim is to work with teachers, careers advisers, parents and governors, alongside other key partners, to support schools and ensure that they meet their statutory duties regarding the provision of impartial IAG, specifically in relation to apprenticeships and traineeships Services offered include: • Group assemblies / information sessions • Sessions to sign students up to “Find an Apprenticeship” • Apprenticeship application workshops for smaller groups of students Who’s Recruiting Stockton-based global transport payment company, Cubic Transportation Systems (CTS), is set to create around 80 jobs over the next 12 months The company design and create payment systems that make travelling on public transport easier There are more than 24 billion transactions processed using Cubic software every year CTS already employs 120 staff at the Stockton site, with around half of those engineers is set to open a new gym in National gym operator Xercise4Less will be created at the site jobs y Hartlepool before Christmas Fort ping Centre Shop ge Gran leton above H&M in the Midd • Apprenticeship events • Apprenticeship champion training for careers advisers and teachers • Guest speakers – apprentice and employer ambassadors • External visits • Staff (teacher and governor) CPD • Parents events To find out more contact Jo Thompson at Jo.Thompson@tvwbl.net or ring 01642 442025 Calysta, the US sustainability firm, has opened a new factory in Redcar & Cleveland The plant has been built next to a national biotech facility run by the Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) and is the first step in a £30m investment by Calysta over ten years to develop its FeedKind product, ready for market The protein is a new fish and animal feed ingredient targeted at replacing fishmeal and is produced using the world’s only commercially validated gas fermentation process The plant is set to become fully operational soon and is expected to provide employment for between 35 and 40 people The new jobs are in science, engineering and operations - with additional indirect jobs in construction and the wider supply chain h-based family business, is Crystal Galleries, the Middlesbroug securing a five-figure funding expanding and creating jobs after crystal for decorative products and s boost The firm supplies glas r securing a £67,000 investment and has created eight new jobs afte Capital Grant Scheme pass from the Tees Valley Business Com Twitter We value your feedback To comment about this newsletter @Gettheskills or to receive this newsletter electronically please e-mail: Twitter info@teesvalley-ca.gov.uk | Tel: 01642 524469 Facebook @Gettheskills ⁄teesvalleyskills Facebook ⁄teesvalleyskills Twitter @Gettheskills Linked In Facebook Linked In ⁄company⁄teesvalleyskills ⁄teesvalleyskills ⁄company⁄teesvalleyskills tees valley skills newsletter If you would like this information in any other language or format e.g large print or audio, In please contact Tees Valley Combined Authority on (01642) 524400 Linked