Apprenticeship Discussion Insight: Aspiration Training’s CEO Sit Down with Apprentices and Employers

Graduated Youth Employment UK apprentice Georgia attended Aspiration Training’s CEO Sit Down event, with CEO Iain Salisbury leading an online discussion forum on all areas surrounding apprenticeships.

Georgia shared her experience of apprenticeships, joining other apprentices and apprenticeship employers during National Apprenticeship Week 2024.

Here are some of the key insights from the discussion:

• The skills employers look for most when hiring apprentices are passion, dedication, and communication.
• Apprenticeship programmes are better for employers and apprentices when they both have continued support from the training provider.
• There were concerns around struggles to achieve functional skills in English and Maths holding apprentices back and even stopping them from achieving their qualification. It was mentioned that a more holistic approach could be beneficial, by assessing an apprentices knowledge and practical skills related to the qualification, and judging their ability to use functional skills in the way they are needed for their job, rather than up to a specific level required.
• Employers discussed having more observation of the apprentices in their role incorporated into the awarding process as further evidence to support their portfolio, and ensuring that celebrating their ability and competence in their role was not held back by other qualification requirements like achieving full off-the-job training hours and functional skills, which some apprentices struggle with.
• Pre-employment programmes and L2/L3 apprenticeships are valued as a great opportunity for young people to make the jump from education to work, where expectations and practical work skills differ from their experience in school. This is especially useful for jobs that may require some previous experience e.g. childcare.
• Employers saw the need to target young people earlier in school, such as before they have chosen L2 subjects like GCSEs, to inform them about their options, including the pathways open to them like apprenticeships.
• Apprentices had similar experiences of hearing little of apprenticeships in school. Some apprentices had to do their own research about apprenticeships because of limited support in school, while some apprentices only considered apprenticeships further when the opportunity arised at work.