Now is the time to engage with apprenticeships

There has never been a better time to engage with apprenticeships, says Linda Dean, executive director of B&FC for Business at Blackpool and The Fylde College.

Why are apprenticeships a wise choice for businesses planning beyond the pandemic?

Apprenticeships are employer led; employers set the standards and create the demand for apprentices to meet their skills needs. This direct input from employers means that the apprenticeship experience is very much focused on positively contributing to business productivity and success.

Apprenticeships, as part of a talent management strategy, support both new and existing employees to secure competence in their chosen skilled occupation.

Apprenticeships offer great opportunities for people of all ages, and are a good fit for all sizes of business in all sectors.

There are some incredible people out there looking for their first role or to retrain for a new challenge. And the good news is apprenticeships offer exactly what many people are seeking – a first career, or a reboot, focusing on precisely what their new employers need.

At B&FC we offer apprenticeships at all levels, up to degree-level. So whether your needs are general - you need a new office manager, for example - or specific, such as someone with advanced programming skills, we've got an apprenticeship to strengthen your business.

What advice would you give to businesses yet to take on an apprentice?

An apprenticeship is a partnership. This is about enabling you to achieve your organisational objectives for the long term.

At Blackpool and The Fylde College you will have a named person to help your apprentice in building skills, and to advise throughout the relationship on training best calibrated to your business needs.

Which apprenticeships do you think are most important right now?

There are many apprenticeships that are particularly valuable to businesses of any size.

Project management is especially useful as we start planning our future and understanding the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

Data analytics is something that's now being taken seriously by the business world. And we have a fantastic degree apprenticeship focused on that.

Many businesses are finding themselves with a lot of 'accidental managers', who as great workers are assuming positions of greater responsibility. There's a huge difference between tactical and strategic execution and we've got apprenticeships to match the need, offering skills at all levels of management - from supervisory to strategic oversight.

What's my next step discussing apprenticeships and my business?

Call us. We'll get to know your business' goals, and work with you to identify the training and skills required to get you there.