IT Apprentice

[sippo]

I know there have probably been multiple threads on Apprenticeships, but where does one start to seek an interested candidate.

 

We have just had IT Apprenticeships in and it seems ok, but they only do a one year course and the candidate is one week in training and one week with us. To me to have a whole week out maybe a pain...

 

The rate is minimum £2.68 per hour which seems a little low..

 

Anyone used these guys or recommendations on other training companies to use?

[witch]

Is there not a local college who do such things? Swindon New College?Fast Forward is one day a week I think

Fast Forward | Swindon Training and Development Solutions for Businesses

Edited May 12, 2014 by witch

[Bompalompalomp]

My college reached out to schools, you should do the opposite. Find out who heads the IT support courses and see if their leavers are interested. They know their students better than any company.

[SiliconAlley_Sam]

We use ABA Training who are the go-to organisation for many of our local schools. Probably a little too far afield for you guys but I think there's probably a large number of equivalent organisations.

 

We've also taken on quite a few directly from some of our local schools. We do quite a lot with various careers departments.

[kidpressingbuttons]

I am currently an apprentice and all my training is done with Fast Forward! The hours are really flexible and I was out only one day a week for about three months.

[MrPstv]

NSA / National School Apprenticeships

 

http://schoolapprenticeships.co.uk/

Edited May 12, 2014 by MrPstv

[Steve21]

@sippo we get asked by QA often about it, might be worth checking with them?

 

Steve

[GREED]

I used to run IT apprenticeship schemes for a company a few years back, keep my hand in the game. Experiences and programs will vary provider to provider. 1 week on 1 week off sounds very bad! Apprenticeships should focus as much time on the working and less on the studying as possible (and appropriate). It is just as much about learning how to work as well as learning the theory.

 

£2.68 is national minimum wage for 16-18 age group and often is all that is paid (remember they are getting your time and patience as well as free training from both you and provider). It is not ideal by any stretch of the imagination, and rules are changing on this again I believe so keep an eye on this. Personally, I always promote paying whatever you would pay an IT technician that is not an apprentice, give them confidence and self worth goes a long way!

 

Whatever you do, check out the company you use fully for their experience, their OfSTED results, their success rates. QA have decent rep (they are national). There have been high profile cases where companies have not treated their apprentices well (Zenos is one! Just search Google for this. Panorama did a whole program on it).

 

Happy to answer any other questions on this subject if you have them

[sippo]

@sippo we get asked by QA often about it, might be worth checking with them?

 

Steve

 

They actually 'cold called' today so have asked them about apprentices, and have also contacted new college.

[TomCollins]

In regards to pay, at the apprenticeships I have looked at (they are in London), most IT Support based apprenticeships pay around £150 a week, with some of the highest ones being up to £320 a week.

 

Even outside of London, Chelmsford College is offering £100.50 per week, and that seems to be the average from what I've been looking at.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using EduGeek

[fiza]

We approached Employers - Apprenticeships directly. They asked if we wanted to work with a local college or a company as the provider. We decided to go with the local college. They came in and discussed everything with us. We gave them a job spec and they advertised the apprenticeship on our behalf. We had 3 candidates apply. We decided that the minimum wage was too low and set the wage at £4.50 per hour for full time hours. We have now got a really good apprentice.

Our apprentice goes to college 1 day a week and we can ask for him to miss the odd week if we are really busy.

Its working out quite well.

[sippo]

We've these sort of things, how does the finance side work? Do you pay the company a 'recruiting fee'?

[fiza]

We've these sort of things, how does the finance side work? Do you pay the company a 'recruiting fee'?

 

We didn't pay anything. In fact we got £1500 as a grant for taking on the apprentice.

 

Employer Incentive (AGE 16 to 24) - Apprenticeships

[GREED]

We didn't pay anything. In fact we got £1500 as a grant for taking on the apprentice.

 

Employer Incentive (AGE 16 to 24) - Apprenticeships

 

How long ago was this? I thought grants had disappeared now.

[fiza]

How long ago was this? I thought grants had disappeared now.

 

This was last April (2013). Our Apprentice is on a 2 year apprenticeship but I know the grants are still available.

Edited May 12, 2014 by fiza

[fiza]

Just checked - the grants are available until Dec 2014.

[GREED]

Shows I'm a bit out of it I thought the grants ended a few years back!

[sippo]

Can anyone help with a job description and personal spec?

[sippo]

Anyone got a copy I could use? Or where I could source a template?

[TomCollins]

Anyone got a copy I could use? Or where I could source a template?

 

I've never seen a person spec for an apprenticeship role. Most are posted onto the National Apprenticeship Scheme website (http://www.apprenticeships.org.uk).

 

One example of an educational-based IT role job description: https://apprenticeshipvacancymatchingservice.lsc.gov.uk/Navms/Forms/Vacancy/VacancyDetails.aspx?Query=G%2bnBvlZF8Sf2tRhLMQNzwg7Gu9r%2b2wt1v98yinZNd%2bIRoBfD36CvzG0snGCv8OtuLA4jTCUflWO7eF3Z4lbLRhUw%2fHiI1vkf5AEkqLAszVi46GjhAjP9oHVppgOnsB9oiuxy7MovGGzm36T4PknJQp79rd7zQf2RuWEF6MCcRWkKKTed4bd5FgXvLNcU%2fTYi%2fihadSxaJ6%2fhGFeTMTIbrRAfHK8VQzLZrU3PPV7CMgnCOBAzNhPPBgx5ZpvG6c2Qtwhcrt6DKBTQDWm15bBY0Q%3d%3d

 

(Sorry for the long link, not exactly SEO friendly)

[DorsetTech]

I did an Apprenticeship through Yeovil College - the programme lasts for 3 years (although in reality could be completed in a year and a half). The course was entirely work placement based and I never had go to the college.

[GREED]

I did an Apprenticeship through Yeovil College - the programme lasts for 3 years (although in reality could be completed in a year and a half). The course was entirely work placement based and I never had go to the college.

 

You did see your tutor though right? Perfectly acceptable to never go to college but should have had some theory learning.

[DorsetTech]

You did see your tutor though right? Perfectly acceptable to never go to college but should have had some theory learning.

 

Yes, my tutor would come down around once a month and would give me guidance and would also be at the end of the phone or email if I got stuck on anything along the way. My training co-ordinator came down every 2/3 months and review progress, get my comments, employer comments etc.

 

The only thing I did find was it could get a bit lonely not having any contact with other apprentices to bounce ideas/questions around with.

[GREED]

Yes, my tutor would come down around once a month and would give me guidance and would also be at the end of the phone or email if I got stuck on anything along the way. My training co-ordinator came down every 2/3 months and review progress, get my comments, employer comments etc.

 

The only thing I did find was it could get a bit lonely not having any contact with other apprentices to bounce ideas/questions around with.

 

I'm certainly not looking to make trouble, but you should have had some structured training and activities, not just left to work and them come see how you were getting on. Perhaps that was what your qualifications required, but from personal experience and passion, I would have wanted to give you plenty more training, in IT, as well as building life skills such as communications, customer care etc etc. A good example of how each training provider is different.

[Leeoakley]

How long ago was this? I thought grants had disappeared now.

 

You can still get the £1500. We did last year and we are this year as well.