Traineeships: All you need to know
Novo Training
Given the perpetual carousel of economic doom and gloom circulating our newsfeeds, it would be reasonable to assume that the labour market would be squeezed of opportunities; the opposite however, is in fact true. Businesses across the UK are struggling to recruit good candidates in all areas of their operations – it is a true employees market!
The Government’s often overlooked and little known ‘traineeship’ scheme, whilst not the silver bullet to solving the staffing and skills shortage, is a fantastic channel to support your organisation’s recruitment strategy through offering a traineeship programme that nurtures and develops young talent.
Unlike its older sibling, apprenticeships, there are many businesses who are either not aware of traineeships or have limited knowledge of how they work. This is a real shame as, if implemented correctly, they can offer a number of benefits to employers including making their existing apprenticeship scheme more effective.
Described below is all you need to know about traineeships;
What is a traineeship?
A skills development programme for young people (16-24 year olds) which incorporates a work placement and typically last for under 6 months. Novo’s ‘JumpStart’ traineeship incorporates a 4 week employability and functional skills training programme delivered by our tutors at our Jewellery Quarter training centre, followed by up to 8 weeks unpaid work experience in a sector chosen by the learner.
The aim is for the aspiring young professional to either enter directly into an apprenticeship or full-time work post completion.
Why not go straight into an apprenticeship?
For some young people this is the best option, for others a traineeship is the perfect stepping stone for a number of reasons.
Apprenticeships are a widely known and proven pathway for young people which have greatly evolved in recent years to go beyond traditional trade-based professions, with many larger cross sector organisations adopting them as an effective means of attracting new talent.
However, much like a degree, a young person must commit to the programme for a long period of time without knowing whether this is the right path. The difference with an apprenticeship however is that it is typically tied to a single profession, whereas a degree can often open doors to many sectors should the young person’s desired career path change during the course (which it often does).
The result is that many young people starting apprenticeships quit the programme within the first few months as they realise the profession is not right for them, putting them back at square one. This also creates a problem for employers who invest a lot of time and resource into their apprentices only for them to leave early on.
A traineeship course can help both young people and employers determine whether a given role or sector is the right path whilst the young person also gains critical employability and functional skills. If the young person and/or employer feels it is not the right path, then the young person has still completed a programme and gained valuable insight into what they are looking for from their future career.
Novo’s role is then to help the young person find and secure the right path post course completion.
What are the benefits to an employer?
We recruit young people for your business, deliver a fast-track training programme (which can be tailored to your organisational needs) and then you get to trial candidates for free in your workplace as they develop their skills and prove their capabilities! There is zero cost to the employer.
In essence, a risk and cost-free solution to building a young, dynamic workforce from the ground up. Furthermore, you will also play a critical role in supporting young people in the community, many from disadvantaged backgrounds, as they embark on their future careers. A true ‘win win’ all round.
If you are interested in learning more about traineeships please feel free to give us a call or email talon@novotraining.co.uk and we’ll be happy to discuss how to create the right programme for your organisation.
As a final note, we are excited to have recently joined the Chambers’ 1813 Club membership so look forward to meeting members at future events, please do come say hello!