A solution to the ‘Workplace Preparation’ challenge

Discussions over whether government initiatives are working for getting education leavers into the workplace, and more importantly keeping them there (for example through the apprenticeship scheme), are being debated by a multitude of different parties.

These include businesses, training suppliers and various government oppositions. However, strangely enough, very little is heard from the apprentices themselves.

The debates continue to feature almost daily in the media but with no real sign of a lasting solution to the ongoing challenge of youth unemployment.

Couple this with the question of who should fund the programmes in the future and, with the threat of imminent reductions in government funding expected after the next general election in May (the Welsh Assembly has already announced a 30% cut), it is a challenging time not just for the aforementioned groups but, more importantly, (and we believe that they are getting lost in all this) the disheartened youngsters who currently see no real career prospects for themselves.

We, at Leading National Training, believe that there is a simple, proactive, more effective and relatively inexpensive long-term solution which requires zero input from the government. It addresses the frustrations that arise time and time again from business leaders, i.e. that education leavers are not being prepared for the workplace, and finally (and crucially) gives students the ‘generic’ skills required to gain a job and enter the workplace in ‘any’ role and with ‘any’ organisation – confidently.

The solution?

An accredited level two or level three programme (at award or certificate levels) in ‘Workplace Preparation’ sponsored by businesses, delivered by Leading National Training to students in their last year of studies, at a place of education local to the sponsoring business.

The benefits

• No financial dependency on government, and without all the red tape that goes with it (quick to implement)

• A programme that addresses skills, attitudes, expectations and behaviours and supports career matching with each student

• Businesses deliver on their CSR as well as gaining massive PR opportunities, whilst supporting their local community

• Businesses have the opportunity to recruit the best and brightest from their sponsored group

• Students get the correct (accredited) skills to gain employment, and then to fit quickly into their teams

• Companies have potential future employees who will know the workings and expectations of their business (each programme is fully branded with the culture and organisational structure of the sponsoring company) which could lead to greatly reduced recruitment, induction and development costs

• Delivered in a flexible way before pupils/students leave education (critical)

And, with year long sponsorships starting at £10K plus accreditation fees, it has been designed to be accessible to most businesses, large or small.
After a year in design, we believe our ‘Prepare 4 Success’ programme will deliver a number of solutions needed to deal with the challenge of youth unemployment, as well as giving businesses exactly what they need: motivated, positive youngsters with key workplace skills already built in.

Philip Peters is managing director of Leading National Training