Skills Archives - Page 23 of 43

Pilot scheme to be launched for flexi-job apprenticeships

by Clair Mooney | Jan 13, 2022 | Skills

As announced by the Prime Minister in his 2020 Skills Speech, ESFA are launching a pilot scheme for flexi-job apprenticeships (previously known as portable apprenticeships) beginning in April 2022. Flexi-job apprenticeship put apprentices in the driving seat and enable them to complete their apprenticeship across multiple short employment contracts.

Providers are invited to submit an Expression of Interest to engage in the pilot to test an exciting new model of apprenticeship delivery and support ongoing developments in the apprenticeship programme.

The Expression of Interest and further details about flexi-job apprenticeships can be found on Jaggear, the DfE’s eSourcing platform. The closing date for Expressions of Interest is 28 January 2022.

Skills Hub

The Skills Hub brings together details of courses specific to the finishes and interiors sector, making accessing and booking training quick and easy. In addition, it provides information on sector careers, apprenticeships and funding, as well as access to e-learning, CPD and other training.

Click Here

New CSCS Smart Check app to revolutionise card verification procedures

by Clair Mooney | Dec 17, 2021 | Skills

A new app, developed by the 38 card schemes displaying the CSCS logo, is set to radically improve the construction industry’s card checking procedures and site safety. The CSCS Smart Check app represents a major step forward as, for the first time, all 2.1 million cards displaying the CSCS logo can be electronically verified using a single app.

The roll out of the app begins in April 2022, providing employers with a quick, easy and secure way of ensuring everyone on site has the right qualifications and training for the job they do. The app will be free to use and available for Apple iOS and Android devices. Visit https://www.cscs.uk.com/about/cscs-smart-check/ to find out more about the CSCS Smart Check app.

What does this mean for employers?

Sites should require everyone working in a construction occupation to hold a card displaying the CSCS logo and they should be checking those cards regularly to ensure they are genuine and in date. However, with 38 schemes offering CSCS logoed cards and many using their own (often incompatible) card checking systems, the process can be complicated. This places an unrealistic expectation on site management teams to know every scheme and every type of card available together with the different verification systems used. Having one app to electronically check all cards at the site gates will make life easier for those responsible. It doesn’t matter what card turns up at the site gates, from asbestos to welding, if it displays a CSCS logo it will be compatible with the CSCS Smart Check app.

Early Adopters: Are you a technology early adopter? CSCS need some help to test the app. If your site would like to take part in a pilot programme then please email the project team at communications@cscs.co.uk.

Next steps: The roll out of the app will result in some changes to the way in which employers check cards at the site gates. Over the coming weeks the 38 card schemes are committed to keeping the industry updated on our progress and everything you need to know about CSCS Smart Check. Regular progress reports will be issued and we are planning several events to keep you and your colleagues updated. Further details on these events will be made available in the new year.

“It must be emphasised this is to check the CSCS card is genuine and in date, FIS strongly encourage members to ensure employees are operating on the card applicable to their status (trainee, apprentice, operative, supervisor, manger) and occupation. When the Building Safety Bill takes hold a green Labourers card for a trades person could lead to that individual being turned away at the site gate. The FIS Approved Training Provider Network have offers and discounts (including some free of charge qualifications) to help employers qualify the workforce and register for the appropriate CSCS card. Remember CITB grants also apply to individuals working for organisations as LOSC which should help employer recoup so of the costs. If you need help give FIS a call 0121 707 0077 or email info@thefis.org”.

Skills Hub

The Skills Hub brings together details of courses specific to the finishes and interiors sector, making accessing and booking training quick and easy. In addition, it provides information on sector careers, apprenticeships and funding, as well as access to e-learning, CPD and other training.

Click Here

Apprentice employer incentive payments extended

by Clair Mooney | Dec 13, 2021 | Skills

The government’s offer of up to £4,000 for each apprentice a company employs has been extended at least until the end of March 2022.

In addition, CITB is still paying training grants to cover travel and accommodation, as well as training fees, for the apprentices while they are at college if they have to travel and stay away.

Cash incentives for firms were introduced as part of the national Plan for Jobs initiative in July 2020. They are worth up to £3,000 on top of the £1,000 already available if you take on an apprentice aged 16-18, or under 25 if they have an education, health and care plan, or have been in the care of their local authority.

The payment can be spent on anything to support a company’s costs. It does NOT have to be repaid.

The incentives were originally available until September this year, but now the government has extended it so companies can continue to benefit into 2022. Applications for the cash open on 11 January 2022.

A Plan for Jobs progress report says more than 85,000 apprentices have been hired under the incentive payments scheme so far, with 75% of those taken on being under 25.

From 11 January you will be able to apply for the payment of £3,000 for apprentices that start with you any time from 1 October 2021 to 31 January 2022. You have to get the application in before 15 May 2022.

To apply for the payment you need to create an account on the Government’s dedicated Apprenticeships Portal (click here to go to that). Once your account is set up, you can make your claim.

You can read more about the offer on the Construction Leadership Council’s Talentview website here.

Skills Hub

The Skills Hub brings together details of courses specific to the finishes and interiors sector, making accessing and booking training quick and easy. In addition, it provides information on sector careers, apprenticeships and funding, as well as access to e-learning, CPD and other training.

Click Here

Employers and drylining experts needed to help develop traineeship

by Clair Mooney | Dec 9, 2021 | Drylining, Skills

CITB has started work on a Traineeship for Drylining occupations and need support from employers and subject matter experts. The next development meeting is scheduled for Wednesday 15 December starting at 13:00 to get involved please email alexandra.lee@citb.co.uk

What’s a Traineeship
A traineeship is a skills development programme that includes a work experience placement. Traineeships help prepare young people aged 16 to 24, or 25 with an education, health and care plan, for employment or an apprenticeship. Traineeships must include at least 70 hours of work experience placement. They can last from 6 weeks up to 1 year, but most last less than 6 months. Employers can offer a work experience placement to a trainee. They will work with a training provider to design the workplace element of the programme. Traineeships are introductory courses to attract individuals, at risk of becoming long term unemployed, into employment the training should be broad and provide as much variety as possible with the work experience placement focused on a specialism.

The training provider will assess the needs of the trainee. Trainees may need pre-employment training before starting their work experience placement. Employers will then work with the training provider to plan and agree:

the length of the work experience placement
the days the trainee works
how the programme will be delivered

Traineeships are flexible. Employers can change the programme as they go to make sure they and the trainee get the most out of it.

Employers must provide:

a safe, meaningful and high-quality work experience placement
a minimum of 70 hours of work experience placement over the duration of the traineeship (if the trainee claims benefits, the placement cannot last longer than 240 hours)
constructive feedback and advice to the trainee
an interview for an apprenticeship or job in their organisation at the end of the traineeship if one is available
an exit interview at the end of the traineeship with meaningful written feedback if no job is available

Offering a work experience placement gives employers the chance to:

get to know and work with a young person to see if they’re right for an apprenticeship or job in their business
design a programme that suits the needs of the trainee and their business
develop current employees’ experience in training and mentoring
recruit new talent for their business
claim an employer incentive of £1,000 when a work experience placement of over 70 hours has been completed

Employers who make new work experience placement opportunities available may be eligible for an incentive payment of £1,000 per trainee. They can claim this incentive for up to 10 learners per region. Employers decide how to use the money. You can view more guidance on employer incentive payments and how to claim them.

Traineeships are funded by the government. Traineeships are free to the employer, but they may choose to support trainees with expenses such as transport and meals. If you are interested in offering a work experience placement for a traineeship:

Contact the National Apprenticeship Service to register your interest and to ask for advice and support on traineeships. They can help you set up a traineeship and advertise it on Find a traineeship.
Partner with a training provider who will help you to design a traineeship that will meet your business needs. They will also advertise the work experience placement for you.
Agree with the trainee and your training provider exactly what each of you expects from the traineeship.

George Swann FIS Skills and Training Lead says “Traineeships are part of the Governments Plans for Jobs; approximately 60% to 70% of people on construction training course delivered by FE do not enter the construction industry. By providing more variety in the college element, introducing individuals to the wide range of careers available, Dry Lining Fixer Boarder and Finisher, Ceiling and Partitions Fixer, Plasterer solid and fibrous something should hook their interest and the work experience placement will put them in the work environment and show what the occupational specialism is about. It’s worth employers giving this a try as addressing the labour shortages is all about home grow talent and if you find capable individuals, well enough said. I encourage all employers and subject matter experts to get involved with the development work of CITB the more variety finishes, and interiors Traineeships have the greater the exposure of the fantastic opportunities this sector has to offer and more young people it should attract….Bigger net more fish”.

KickStart funding deadline approaching

by Clair Mooney | Dec 6, 2021 | Skills

Businesses have until midday on Friday 17 December to apply for funding through the Kickstart Scheme. The scheme, which is running until March 2022, provides funding to create new jobs for 16 to 24 year olds on Universal Credit who are at risk of long term unemployment.

The Department of Work and Pensions are withdrawing the role of KickStart Gateway Organisations, so FIS will no longer be able to provide the full service, but will be happy to advise FIS members on this and any linked government initiative. Please call Catherine on 07900 083325 . Please call Catherine on 07900 083325 or email catherinebillough@thefis.org or Marie on 07799 903103 or email marieflinter@thefis.org

For a full update on how FIS is attacking the Skills Shortage, click here.

£45 million package to train staff and help Welsh SMEs grow

by Clair Mooney | Nov 25, 2021 | Skills

A £45 million package of funding that will help small businesses across Wales to grow and support thousands of people to train to work in key sectors is being made available by the Welsh Government, Economy Minister, Vaughan Gething has announced.

As part of the package, £35 million will help small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) in Wales relaunch, develop, decarbonise and grow to help drive Wales’ economic recovery. The funding will support more than 1,000 business, help to create 2,000 new jobs and safeguard a further 4,000 jobs.

In a joint initiative between the Economy Minister and the Minister for Education and Welsh Language, Jeremy Miles, an additional £10 million is being made available to boost Wales’ popular Personal Learning Accounts. This will enable further education colleges to deliver additional courses and qualifications which will help 2,000 people access a wider range of job and earning opportunities in priority sectors facing labour shortages.

Funding will be specifically targeted at reengaging and retraining staff to return to work in the NHS and in social care, training more HGV lorry drivers, reskilling individuals to respond to exciting new job opportunities in green construction and renewable energy, and to ensure there are more trained chefs, waiting and front of house staff to work in Wales’ thriving hospitality sector.

Ministers say the substantial package will help support Wales’ economy through the winter months.

The Economy Minister made the announcement during a visit to Advance Energy Services in Cross Keys to mark the start of Wales Climate Week. The company fit boilers, insulation and heat pumps with a focus on making homes and businesses more energy efficient.

Economy Minister Vaughan Gething said:

The £45 million package I’m announcing today is being delivered at a critical time in our economic recovery. It provides an opportunity to kick-start and grow the economy as we focus on creating a fairer, greener and prosperous future for Wales.

The funding will offer businesses who need to re-invest – particularly following the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic, our departure from the EU, and with a view to climate and Covid proofing – the opportunity to do so, in order to relaunch, develop and grow.

We’re doing all we can to build a Wales with a prosperous, fair, green economy, where nobody is held back or left behind.

Announcing the additional investment in Personal Learning Accounts, Education Minister Jeremy Miles added:

Personal Learning Accounts give people the opportunity to gain the skills, knowledge and qualifications they need to make progress in their career. I’m pleased we have secured an additional £10m to boost this initiative.

This will provide opportunities for people to retrain and increase their earning potential in areas of the economy we know are under extreme pressure – including health and social care, training for HGV drivers, hospitality and green construction.

The £35 million funding for SMEs is the next phase of the Welsh Government’s approach to economic recovery and an important step towards re-establishing resilience within the Welsh economy and continued decarbonisation of Wales’ business sector.

Administered by local authorities, it provides an opportunity to kick-start and grow the economy following the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic and the UK’s departure from the EU.

Businesses will be invited to identify ways in which investment will help them re-launch their business, develop it in innovative new ways, and create new jobs.

It will also support businesses to tackle some of the major issues facing Wales, such as addressing skills gaps in some sectors, upskilling the existing workforce, ensuring fair work for employees and tackling climate change – with Ministers looking for proposals that will help Wales meet its legally binding Net Zero carbon emission target by 2050.

Businesses will be expected to match-fund any grants made available by the Welsh Government.

It’s expected the £35 million funding will support around 1,000 business, helping them to create 2,000 new jobs and safeguard a further 4,000 jobs. It will help leverage £40 million worth of investments by businesses themselves, which will help support the creation of 50 new enterprises.

The £10 million for further education colleges will see the further expansion of Personal Learning Accounts, which will allow local colleges to deliver additional courses and qualifications to support 2,000 people to access a wider range of job opportunities and increase their earning potential in priority sectors.

These include:

logistics (in particular HGV and LGV driving) including driver licence fees and tests. Funding will be targeted at driver training by offering courses to new potential drivers, provide refresher training for those who may be seeking a return to the sector, and to train and increase the number of instructors and examiners available to conduct driving tests
green construction and renewable energy – including roles in housing retrofit, and in wind, tidal and solar power sectors
advanced materials and manufacturing – including technical engineers
hospitality – including chefs, catering assistants, waiting and front of house staff
health and social care – including support to re-engage and retrain former health and social care employees back into the sector and meet the new licence to practice requirements.

Since the start of the Covid pandemic, Ministers have invested more than £2.5 billion in emergency business support, helping protect in excess of 160,000 jobs which might otherwise have been lost.

The £35 million SME funding will further boost existing local authority business support grants and will begin to open for applications in November. Applications will need to be made direct to local authorities once their individual grant schemes open.