Lancashire college sets sights on 100 apprenticeships in 100 days

By Blackpool and the Fylde College

30 Jan 2020

Apprenticeships have transformed thousands of businesses.

From growing teams to upskilling existing employees, apprenticeships have proven time and again to be a smart move for businesses of all shapes and sizes.

And apprenticeships offer incredible value. SMEs invest just 5% of apprenticeship fees, with the government paying the rest. Levy payers - those businesses with a wage bill of £3m or more - already have money available to pay for apprenticeship training.

There's never been a better time to bring an apprentice into your business. The statistics speak for themselves:

£28 return for every £1 invested 86% of employers say apprentices help develop relevant skills for their business. The average length of time an apprentice stays with manufacturing company Siemens is 26 years. 73% of employers say morale is improved having apprentices around.

100 apprentices in 100 days

As one of the region's leading providers of apprentices and apprenticeship training, B&FC is reiterating its permanent pledge to help businesses celebrate sustainable success through its 100 apprentices in 100 days challenge.

The gauntlet was laid down in the run-up to National Apprenticeship Week, which shines a spotlight on the myriad ways apprentices and apprenticeships help businesses thrive.

B&FC has been helping local people and their employers exceed expectations for 128 years.

The college already collaborates with more than 1,600 business partners across Lancashire and the UK, following a proven formula - to help identify training needs for today and tomorrow and, after co-creating courses tailored to specific requirements, delivering them.

How apprenticeships can build your business

Many businesses overlook the immense value of apprenticeships. And that apprenticeships are available at all levels and for people of all ages.

Apprenticeships are ideal for organisations that are:

Planning for the future by addressing skills gaps Adapting to new marketing conditions. Seeking staff who will stay for the long-term.

You might need ongoing business administration support.

Or someone to help demystify your growing data demands. Whatever your business challenges or opportunities, there’s an apprenticeship or prospective apprentice ready to help.

Check out how apprenticeships have helped strengthen Blackpool Transport as it readies itself for the future.

Getting started with apprenticeships

If you've never before hired an apprentice, you might want to offer a traineeship - a 'pre-apprenticeship' designed to help keen young people into employment. Traineeships can be tailored to your business’ needs – from health and adult care to hospitality.

Intermediate and advanced apprenticeships provide the apprentice with a Level 2 or 3 qualification. Some of our most popular apprenticeships include Customer Service Practitioner and Automotive and Motorsport courses.

Higher and degree apprenticeships are offered at levels 4, 5 and 6 and often include industry body membership or accreditation.

Higher and degree apprenticeships are a great way to upskill your employees in readiness for them taking on senior challenges.

One of our most popular level 6 apprenticeship is the Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship (CMDA) which in addition to Foundation and BA (Hons) degrees awarded by Lancaster University, includes a CMI Level 5 Leadership and Management qualification.

Celebrating National Apprenticeship Week

National Apprenticeship Week highlights the many benefits of apprentices, from improving staff retention to diversifying the workforce.

Blackpool and The Fylde College has been providing apprenticeships for many years, at all levels and for people of all ages. While apprenticeships and their qualifications were once the preserve of school leavers, they have now been expanded to include higher education qualifications – including degree apprenticeships, with B&FC graduates awarded qualifications from Lancaster University.

Typically apprentices spend 20% of their time at college but B&FC provides businesses with flexibility in how learning is delivered. Larger organisations such as Blackpool Transport and BAe Systems often support several apprentices at the same time, with training delivered on the premises.