Logistics is being targeted as a key sector in a government scheme to boost the number of apprenticeships in industries vital for the country’s economic growth.
Twelve organisations have won a share of £7m of government funding to set up new Apprenticeship Training Associations and Group Training Associations.
The aim of these new models is to help a range of organisations, especially small businesses, to offer more than 14,000 apprenticeship places for young people over the next three years, with a focus on opportunities for 16 to 18-year-olds.
Other sectors targeted by the initiative include environmental, creative, engineering, manufacturing, and business administration.
An Apprenticeship Training Agency (ATA) is a not-for- profit organisation, which directly employs and manages individuals who undertake their apprenticeship with an approved training provider while being hired out to a “host employer”. The ATA also co-ordinates the training activity for the apprenticeship which is delivered though LSC contracted training providers.
A Group Training Association (GTA) is a not-for-profit organisation providing support for accessing and managing training for a group of employers to encourage their involvement in apprenticeships.
South London Business is one of the twelve organisations that has taken on the challenge of offering a new style logistics apprenticeship.
Host
Working in partnership with Skills for Logistics, it has set up SLB Logistics Apprenticeship Training Agency to host apprentices. This will give young people between the ages of 16 – 19 the opportunity to experience the variety of work available in the industry. Growing from within will support the future of logistics, ensuring a pool of trained, qualified and engaged talent for the future.
Peter Pledger, chief executive of South London Business, says: “Many employers see apprenticeships as over-bureaucratic and hard to manage. They fear that the time and money that they invest in training staff is lost when the young person leaves and goes to another job. They are also concerned about the amount of effort needed to recruit suitable young people to be apprentices.” The SLB Logistics ATA provides a working solution for the employers, who have similar concerns about apprenticeship schemes, but would still like to recruit and benefit from having competent young people in their business, he says.
“SLB Logistics ATA will recruit the young people and, more importantly, is the employer of the young people, but will place them with a logistics business so that they can work as part of the company’s core team.
“The company is then paired up with the most appropriate training provider, at which point SLB Logistics ATA will secure the funding for all the training which will be delivered to the young person on the employer’s premises, covering those areas that meet the needs of the employer. Through this scheme, many of the concerns that employers may have are alleviated and they benefit from a trained apprentice in their business.”
Benefits to the employee include: work experience and a recognised qualification; £95 per week; improved confidence and increased potential for future roles.
Benefits to the employer include: increased profile in corporate social responsibility; identifiable talent pipeline to support future growth; a pool of experienced, trained people; and reduced operating costs.
SLB Logistics is able to provide full funding for related training. It is working with SfL on the programme and will offer training providers that can deliver bespoke training solutions, which will incorporate all the apprentice frameworks that have been approved for the sector.
In the Midlands another logistics focused ATA scheme has been developed by Targeted Training Projects in partnership with JHP Training. Together they have established the Logistics Apprenticeship Training Academy (LATA).
TTP says the majority of logistics companies are not aware of available apprenticeships and specific ones for their industry. “On average nine out of ten employers we speak to do not know that there are apprenticeships in purchasing and supply chain management, traffic office, carry and deliver goods and so on.
“Traditional barriers, such as age, mean that unlike engineering/construction there are very few examples of logistics companies bringing on young people through apprenticeships. The option is now there for this to happen. There is also limited knowledge of what is involved in a logistics apprenticeship. For example, for Traffic Office Level 3 apprenticeship, the technical certificate is the operator CPC that can be funded under the apprenticeship framework (if eligible). Most employers are not aware of this.”
Like SLB Logistics, LATA employs and hires out the apprentice to the host company.
Foundation or advanced?
Skills for Logistics supports apprenticeships at foundation and advanced level. The apprenticeship at foundation level provides practical training leading to the award of an NVQ Level 2 in one of the following: Two new frameworks have recently been implemented in:
l Apprenticeship/ Foundation Modern Apprenticeship in Commercial Moving Advanced Apprenticeships are designed for young people who have the potential to become the supervisors and managers of tomorrow and gives practical training leading to the award of an NVQ Level 3 in one of the following:
Carry and Deliver goods
Warehousing and storage
Driving Goods Vehicles
Purchasing and Supply Management
Mail Services
Two new frameworks have recently been implemented in:
Apprenticeship/Foundation Modern Apprenticeship in Commercial Moving
Apprenticeship/Foundation Modern Apprenticeship in International Trade & Logistics Operations.
Advanced Apprenticeships are designed for young people who have the potential to become the supervisors and managers of tomorrow and gives practical training leading to the award of an NVQ Level 3 in one of the following:
Logistics Operations Management
Driving Goods Vehicles
Purchasing and Supply Management (also available as a Higher Apprenticeship).
