
I have written before, on a number of occasions, about how I believe there is a serious disconnect between education and business.
Every week my recruitment department is inundated by applications from thousands of young people who want an apprenticeship at Pimlico Plumbers. A decent number of the applicants are pretty good, but we also look beyond their exam results to see if they have the spark underneath the surface to be a successful Pimlico plumber, carpenter, accountant, mechanic etc. I believe it takes a strong mix of influence from parents and the education system to help prepare young people for work. It’s never an even balance, some are more influenced by one than the other, but I’d bet on a lot of occasions home life will outweigh what happens in the classroom or lecture hall. And, of course, there’s nothing wrong with that and is evidenced in my business by the number of parents who contact me trying to get their son or daughter a job.Read more from Charlie Mullins:
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That is what businesses want and need. But it’s not a one-way street where businesses only complain about the education system, they also have to do something about it.
Establishing apprenticeship programmes is one essential part of this. It sends a message to the education establishment that this is the kind of training businesses need and they have to change if they’re going to remain relevant and this country can remain competitive. And apprenticeship programmes, with the practical training provided by the employer and the assessment, validation and qualifications delivered by a college or independent training company, are the best example of closing the gap between business and education. Businesses of all sizes can follow this route, which will be made easier when the Apprenticeship Levy kicks in with large businesses contributing to a fund that will help create trainees at small firms.If supporting youngsters is something you’d like to do, here are five recommendations for future-proofing apprenticeships in your business.
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