All-Age Apprenticeships - "The myth that apprenticeships are exclusive for the younger workforce can now be debunked".

Belfast Metropolitan College Department for the Economy NI

Thanks to a recent move to “all age apprenticeships” across all vocational areas in Northern Ireland (NI) funded by the Department for the Economy (DfE) there is a real opportunity to actively engage, encourage, and target age-inclusive apprenticeships across NI for local businesses.

The thought that apprenticeships are exclusively for a younger workforce can now be debunked. The challenge for training providers is to support local businesses by "Demystifying" the world of skills and apprenticeships. Training providers must help drive innovative solutions to skills and talent development with collaborative skills modelling using employer-led skills and apprenticeship solutions as the foundation stone for discussing all things skills and apprenticeships.

Moira Doherty, DfE's Head of Skills and Education stated "Apprenticeships are an excellent way to develop talent and offer real benefits to both the individual and the employer. This new initiative will significantly widen access to skilled jobs across our economy and increase the supply of skills. All Age Apprenticeships increase the labour pool available to employers across the economy and in doing so, also increase opportunities for a greater range of people, as we start to realise our ambition outlined in the 10x Skills Strategy of a culture of lifelong learning. It also provides a powerful lever for inclusion as it gives opportunities for people to re-enter the workforce or change career who might have thought an apprenticeship was no longer an option".

As a champion for skills and apprenticeships in NI working within the Centre for Skills and Apprenticeships team in Belfast Metropolitan College BMC, the transition to the funding of “all-age apprenticeships” can be the catalyst to opening a plethora of new talent within the wider Belfast Community. The challenge is to energise employer partners into having meaningful conversations by demystifying apprenticeships and ultimately leading to a partnership approach to developing age-inclusive people strategies underpinned by skills and apprenticeship-led solutions. To stimulate interest from potential apprentices employers and training providers must work collaboratively to provide a clear vision of progressive career pathways, showing the apprenticeship journey from start to finish.

My challenge to potential employers seeking to tap into this new wave of talent is to "get talking" and explore how skills and apprenticeships can provide a "grow your own talent" ethos. Skills and apprenticeships will not succeed without employer buy-in, as in simple terms without the employer apprenticeships don't work. Apprentices must be employed to avail of the training and for the employer to receive the funding provided. Also, with Traineeships as the launchpad into employed apprenticeships through work placement, we need to get our heads together and make it happen. In tandem with traditional recruitment methods skills and apprenticeships must be embedded into your people strategies to drive effective and meaningful conversations with training providers to tap into new talent pools supported by all-age apprenticeships.

So, if this short article has stimulated your thought process and you want to "Talk all things Skills and Apprenticeships" get in touch with Mark Dorman at Belfast Metropolitan College or email [email protected]. Let us start the demystification conversation and help you get connected to skills and apprenticeships as an integral part of your people strategy.