A coordinated approach: Growing apprenticeships through collaboration

MPANI Committees

RICHARD KIRK, CEO OF WORKPLUS

Back in 2015 I heard an increasing number of employers struggling to find new entry-level talent. For most, when they did hire new graduates, they were frustrated by the level of re-training they had to do on the job.

In a way, it wasn’t the graduate, college or university’s fault - it was just unrealistic to expect someone to apply their learning from 3 years ago to their work. The problem was systemic, but employers were paying for the failure to find a better approach. I started to explore apprenticeships with a group of employers that were experiencing this frustration with new entry talent. We saw that apprenticeships could be a significant solution - learning and working in tandem rather than two separate phases, employer-led, moulding talent from day one and avoiding re-training costs. However, business leaders found the apprenticeship system confusing and hard to engage with. Those busy directors and HR professionals wanted to develop new talent but needed an easier way to build apprentices into their teams. And so Workplus began.

The importance of an employer-led focus

Workplus is a collaborative group of employers working together to improve the apprenticeship system – it’s new territory for most employers. Like any new adventure, it’s better to travel together! That’s how we approach apprenticeships. We know that core to success was to create a community of likeminded employers that can help each other explore apprenticeships, some for the first time.

It is vital that our apprenticeships are employer-led because an apprenticeship is a job. Ensuring employers are front and centre makes the apprenticeship about meaningful employment and talent pipelines in growing sectors, not just a college or university course. There is so much to like about apprenticeships – for the apprentice it’s a job from the start, mentoring and continued education without the student debt. For the employer, it’s enthusiastic new talent that can be moulded to suit the company’s needs.

Richard Kirk.

A platform that makes it easier for both employer and applicant

The Workplus platform gives employers and aspiring apprentices a place to meet. Firstly, employers indicate their demand for various types e.g., admin, engineering, finance, marketing, sales, IT etc and we use that information to help aspiring apprentices see that apprenticeships are real jobs with real employers. For applicants, it a straight-froward application where they can apply for multiple opportunities. For employers, the platform allows for a thorough selection process including easy filtering. Changing perception and growing participation

There is more to do around perception and employer participation as only 12% of employers currently have apprentices. It’s always good to see companies that, just a few years ago, were ‘dipping their toes’ in apprenticeships have now seen the benefits and embraced it. Some of the 60+ employers we are working with are getting close to apprentices making up 10% of their workforce – well above the 1% average! On the apprentice side, there has been a definite shift. Young people are thinking again about full-time education and subsequent student debt. Many – including high academic achievers - are no longer seeing an apprenticeship as a ‘poor cousin’ of full-time education, but rather a great alternative. Working with employers who are so committed to creating great opportunities for people, it’s hard not to feel a sense of optimism for the future. We hope more employers across the sectors in Northern Ireland will catch the vision for apprenticeships and see their many benefits. Richard Kirk started Workplus in 2015 to help improve the perception and grow the culture of apprenticeships. Workplus is a network of apprentice employers that are working to change how businesses and society views apprenticeships and, through its online portal, is making it easier for aspiring apprentices and employers to connect. For more information visit www.workplus.app