Apprenticeships are key to social mobility and business growth

Employment and skills specialist Seetec has stressed the importance for businesses of finding out more about the changing landscape of apprenticeships to ensure they have the right training programme to meet their skills needs.

Daniel Lally, an apprenticeship specialist in Seetec’s corporate team, was invited to host a session on apprenticeships and skills at the Housing and Employment Conference run by the Employment Related Services Association (ERSA) and the Give Us a Chance Consortium (GUAC) on 28 September.

The Live/ Work/ Learn conference in central London brought together more than 100 stakeholders and thought leaders to discuss the importance and challenges of integrating employment and housing services.

Daniel said the lively and thought-provoking discussion highlighted the importance of understanding the move from frameworks to standards in creating a programme of real value to meeting employers’ skills needs.

This change takes the focus away from gaining qualifications and puts the emphasis on developing an agreed and assessed set of skills, knowledge and behaviours necessary to perform different job roles.

Daniel highlighted the importance of communication to challenge perceptions of apprenticeships, and increase awareness of the opportunities for businesses to use apprenticeships to build the skills and career development of existing staff as well as focusing on skills at entry level.

He stressed that apprenticeships offered a genuine alternative pathway to university study as a means of increasing social mobility.

Daniel encouraged businesses to attend events or contact apprenticeship providers, explaining: “There is still some way to go to ensure businesses across a range of sectors and industries understand the changes on the apprenticeship landscape, and how they can tailor their learning and development strategies to focus on in-work training opportunities.

“It is vital that large and small businesses reach out to these opportunities to equip and grow their business for the future.”

The conference focused on how government welfare reforms, the roll-out of Universal Credit and the new Work and Health programme would impact on those living in social housing, and how employment support and the housing sector can work together.

Seetec has been developing its Apprenticeship provision over the past 12 months, and now has over 300 apprenticeships starting every month working with Levy and SME businesses.

Seetec Employment & Skills is an associate member of GUAC, the leading consortium of social landlords working to support people into employment. By working closely together, organisations in the housing and skills sectors can help more people to find sustainable employment and improve their quality of life.