Member Article

Big impact from apprentice challenge

Hundreds of young people all around the UK have been given the chance of a secure future thanks to the work of a North East training provider.

Business Impact UK Ltd was formed to work nationally with companies of all sizes to identify their training needs and help them to recruit and train young apprentices.

Apprentices learn new practical and professional skills, complete on the job training and gain nationally recognised qualifications whilst working at the same time. When an employer makes the decision to take on an apprentice, Business Impact looks after every part of the recruitment process including writing job descriptions, advertising, screening suitable applicants and interviewing. Successful applicants are then trained in a relevant apprenticeship.

In April, the Team Valley, Gateshead based firm set itself the ambitious target of enrolling 400 learners on an apprenticeship programme in four months.

The challenge was such a success that 158 new jobs were created for 16-18 years in just four months and almost 1000 learners were enrolled onto an adult apprenticeship.

Managing Director, Martin Wray was delighted that his team had made such an impact on the lives of so many people.

“ We originally challenged our team to find 400 learners and very quickly it became obvious that the way they worked was achieving results way beyond our expectations. To create so many new jobs and enrolments is unprecedented and we are already looking at new campaigns to encourage even more employers to seek our help.

“One of the advantages of taking on an apprentice aged between 16 to 18 years old, is that there is no cost to the employer thanks to the funding that we can source for them. We can train them in a number of disciplines including business administration, telesales, manufacturing, health and social care and customer service. A government grant of £1500 is also available to smaller companies with less than 1000 employees to encourage them to take on younger apprentices.”

The firm has been so successful that they too have taken on apprentices to help in the recruitment process including sales and marketing trainee, Carly Bolam from Gateshead.

“It’s a great opportunity for Carly to learn while she works and of course, she is ideally placed to give other employers the benefits of her experiences of going through the recruitment process with us,” said Mr. Wray.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Highlights PR .