TRAINING
Getting it right – Erika Marshall says at the Etc. it’ s about finding“ The right programme for the right person”.
PICTURE: TOM BANKS
YOU’ RE HIRED!
How apprentices are well served at the Etc.
WORDS: DAVE ROBSON
When Ofsted says apprentices“ flourish” in your“ Outstanding” college group, it’ s a good place to be.
And with apprenticeships enjoying a resurgence in quality and reputation, the Teesside-based Education Training Collective( Etc.) is more committed than ever to consolidating and enhancing its provision.
The Etc.’ s group of colleges and training providers – Bede Sixth Form College, NETA Training, Redcar and Cleveland College, Stockton Riverside College and Gateshead’ s Innersummit – all embrace the apprenticeship challenge of serving those who take them and guiding employers through the process.
But with only one in four 16-18-year-olds making up the Tees Valley apprenticeship population last year, the group’ s director of marketing and business engagement, Erika
Marshall says, regionally and nationally, there’ s work to be done and employers have an essential part to play.
As Tees Business chats to Erika in the vibrant Stockton Riverside College building, it’ s clear apprenticeships will form a key part of the group’ s strategy going forward.
In what is recognised as quite a complex landscape, Etc.’ s aim is to help guide employers and apprentices, of all ages, through the“ complexity” of apprenticeships, so that all can reap the benefits.
Erika said:“ There’ s been a lot of‘ flipflopping’ with apprenticeships over the years. When I was at school, it almost felt like they were the poor relation. The‘ academic’ kids did A-levels, uni and got a career – the‘ vocational’ option seemed a much smaller pot.
“ I took the‘ academic’ route, but I came out of my degree and struggled to get a job. Meanwhile, mates who’ d done apprenticeships or some form of workbased placement option were all earning money. They’ d bought cars, they had experience and were on the second rung of their careers.”
Happily, in recent years, she explained, employers and educators have worked hard to change the face of apprenticeships. Working with industry leaders has once again given them real value and ensured they deliver for industry and the individual. As a result, they’ re highly competed for.
“ Today’ s learner gets to decide the right pathway for them, at the right time, whether that be the academic, vocational training or apprenticeship route,” says Erika.
“ Young people are no longer siloed into one or the other. Instead, it is increasingly considered a level playing field, decided predominantly by personal preference and individual learning style.
“ Unfortunately, despite demand, when you look at the numbers, it feels like opportunity and ease of access hasn’ t kept up.”
So, for employers wanting to do the right thing and with demand from young people out there, how do you cut through the bureaucracy?
Erika smiles:“ One of my favourite sayings is,‘ You’ re too busy‘ doing the do’ to think of the new’. If you think about smaller employers in particular, they’ re busy running their firms without all the other stuff to think about, but we can help with that. We will sit with you and work through the complexity.”
From matching the right candidate with the right course and creating bespoke packages, negotiating the admin and improving understanding of the apprenticeship levy, the Etc. offers employers a range of support.
58 | Tees Business