Build the Future: Train, Retain, Achieve

Part of Lancashire Business View’s Conference Series
10am-12pm, Wednesday 9 February 2022 via Zoom

The theme for National Apprenticeship Week 2022 is ‘Build the Future: Train, Retain, Achieve’.

A celebration of apprenticeships, the campaign is designed to show the impact of apprenticeships on communities, business and wider regional economies.

And it will demonstrate the range and depth of apprenticeships that are available in traditional and contemporary business environments, across disciplines and throughout the career ladder.

In short, apprenticeships are for all businesses and all those who work in them.

Lancashire Apprenticeship Conference 2022 will reflect these themes through panel conversations and interviews that throw light on our local and particular challenges and opportunities.

We will hear from those who provide and train apprentices, those who employ apprentices and from apprentices themselves.

We will also consider some of the common issues raised by employers around funding, paperwork and support with experts on hand to offer guidance and assurance.

Speakers confirmed so far:


Robin Lindsay, operations manager at NLTG	Martin Blunt, head of enterprise and engagement within UCLan	Colleen Hickson, head of apprenticeships at B&FC

Claire Shore, senior business development manager at Blackburn College	Linzi Monks, head of apprenticeships and employer engagement at Preston College	Gabriela Hammond, head of human resources at VEKA

Neil Burrows, assistant principal at Burnley College and director of Themis	Ian MacDonald, regional apprentice manager, Persimmon Homes	Rowena Brough, head of work based learning and apprenticeships, Nelson and Colne College

Lisa Kennery, director of Pierce C. A. Limited	Dr Michele Lawty-Jones, director of Lancashire Skills Hub	Sean Redfearn, founder and managing director of Red-Fern Media

Plus:

Rob Pipe, production operations manager, Plumbs

The event

Panel A: Train

Apprenticeships to meet current and future skills needs

Apprenticeships help future-proof workforces and careers.

This conversation is designed to show where Apprenticeships sit in a strategy for skills: the skills you need now, and those that are coming, including consideration of the emerging need for digital skills across all our sectors.

We will consider how skills requirements always change because market and customer demands change, while acknowledging that some skills are always in demand and others are being replaced by new skills to fulfill new needs.

Panel B: Retain

Apprenticeships for all your people

Apprentices gain the skills and knowledge your organisation needs, learn your values and allow you to develop your future workforce and talent.

This conversation is designed to demonstrate the levels of Apprenticeships that are available – from Level 2 (GCSE equivalent) to Level 7 (Masters equivalent).

We will consider apprenticeships in a wider strategic people-development and business skills development environment.

Panel C: Achieve

Apprenticeships for all businesses

Realise business benefits and career progression opportunities.

This conversation is designed to demonstrate the breadth of businesses and sectors that can adopt apprenticeships and the breadth of subjects that are available to them.

We will highlight the value to small businesses as well as larger ones.

Interviews

In addition to our panels, this event will feature interviews with apprentices and their bosses so we can hear first-hand experiences.

We will also feature a funding a paperwork interview that will cover the technical aspects of apprenticeships with a business that has been through the process.

We will show the real-world challenges of taking on apprentices, including consideration of funding, the Levy, safeguarding and what ‘20% learning time’ really means.

This interview will demonstrate the support that is available that means these challenges can be met from the perspectives of both an employer and an apprentice provider.

Click here to register

The Lancashire Apprenticeships Conference is in association with Blackburn College, Blackpool and The Fylde College, Burnley College, Nelson and Colne College, NLTG, Persimmon, Plumbs, Preston College, University of Central Lancashire and VEKA.