The Current Picture
The negative press surrounding Apprenticeship training and the Apprenticeship Levy shows no sign of slowing. As well as negative press surrounding apprenticeships, it seems to be a daily occurrence we read about lack of productivity and the skills gap. Madness.
How can we continue to bash something that is there to fix the exact problems we continue to write about? What is essentially either free money, or a tax, depending on your outlook.
We at Whyy? Change see it as a crucial opportunity for big businesses to improve their productivity and skill set, and for small companies to access funding previously unavailable. But what is stopping them? Is it the people responsible for training in these organisations’ lack of awareness or lack of caring? Or is it a problem stemming from the staff themselves, is there a negative stigma regarding apprenticeships that is preventing the Levy being utilised?
Negative Impressions from Inside and Out
It would appear there is certainly still negative attitudes towards being an apprentice. According to research conducted by ILM 58% of employers believe middle managers would be unwilling to be seen as an apprentice. Why is this? Unwilling to be seen as someone looking to improve their skills? Unwilling to be seen as forward thinking? 70% of employers who use formal leadership training to fill roles aim their training at middle managers, but just 25% use apprenticeship training due to this negative image.
Who is to blame?
Perhaps employers are not doing enough to ensure their employees see this as a step forward, not a step back. As we have seen in the press, employers are guilty of not understanding the Levy. We have outlined exactly what the Levy is here https://whyychange.com/2018/02/28/guide-apprenticeship-levy/, perhaps they are also guilty of not making sufficient effort to engage existing staff members on the benefits available to them through the Levy.
CMI Accredited Training Tailored for You
Here at Whyy Change we can tailor our CMI Leadership and Management Training to suit the requirements of your business, and your employees. Our consultative approach will ensure your staff see this as a huge opportunity, not a step in the wrong direction.
