Edge Foundation launches #ApprenticeshipsWork campaign for SMEs

We are proud to be supporting a new campaign to increase apprenticeship opportunities in small businesses, #ApprenticeshipsWork, led by Edge Foundation , launched in a bid to boost the number of apprenticeships in small and medium-sized enterprises. We’re calling for a simpler, fairer system that works for both SMEs and young people, connecting ambition with opportunity, and ensuring apprenticeships with small businesses deliver skills for growth across the UK. Find out more and download the report today. https://bit.ly/47RSyk6 Kate Shoesmith

Future-proofing SMEs through Apprenticeships. Soft skills, workforce stability and future-ready talent are three of the biggest challenges facing SMEs right now. At the same time, young people are struggling to navigate increasingly complex recruitment processes - leaving a huge amount of potential untapped. That’s why I’m so pleased to see the latest post from the Recruitment & Employment Confederation and Kate Shoesmith, amplifying the brilliant work of Edge Foundation. Their partnership on #Apprenticeships shows how employers and educators can work together to unlock this talent. As a Career Expert, I see every day how exceptional candidate experience, clear pathways and strong workplace cultures attract and retain the best people. Apprenticeships are now for: 👍Young People 👍Graduates 👍Career Changers 👍Agile Early Career Professionals 👍Giving SMEs access to a much richer pool of talent, experience and fresh ideas. Here’s why you should be paying attention and sharing this: ⚡ 95% of apprenticeships lead to full-time employment. ⚡ Apprentices fill critical skills gaps and can be shaped into dynamic and collaborative teams. ⚡ They accelerate SME growth, providing a reliable pipeline of talent, stronger workplace cultures and recruitment best practice. ⚡ Soft-skill development is built in, tackling one of the hardest issues SMEs face. ⚡ Apprentices bring hard-working, committed talent across shortage areas such as digital & data, engineering, health & social care, green/retrofit, logistics, manufacturing and hospitality. The Recruitment & Employment Confederation and Edge Foundation post is full of practical tips to help SME's: how to access government funding, scope roles, fill skills gaps and choose the right education provider to transform your workforce planning. For those in the Cotswolds, I’d also recommend connecting to Hannah Hockley - an Apprenticeship Expert and SME Partner (what she doesn't know about apprenticeships, isn't worth knowing)! SMEs can lead from the front - providing opportunities, building exceptional candidate experiences and addressing skills shortages while powering their own growth. #ApprenticeshipsWork #SMEs #Skills #Employment #UKGrowth #Careers #Education #EdgeFoundation #candidateexperience #graduates #careerchange

Ever thought about taking on an 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲…?🧑🎓🧰 Yesterday Edge Foundation launched #ApprenticeshipsWork, a campaign targeted at stimulating the 𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗠𝗘𝘀 with apprenticeships. As noted in their article, whilst SMEs represent 𝟵𝟵% of businesses (at roughly 5.45 million) and 𝟲𝟬% of total employment, yet they only employ 𝟯𝟳% of apprentices😲 The campaign aims to boost these numbers by 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀 & 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗲𝘀 and ultimately to provide SMEs the support they need to succeed with apprenticeships!📈 If you’re part of a 𝗺𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼, 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 or 𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘂𝗺-sized enterprise and want to 𝘂𝗽𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹 your workforce, why not read more by following the link below? https://lnkd.in/e3QVGnhn

Despite growing demand, the number of apprenticeships for under-19s is falling. It’s time for better signposting and support for SMEs. Read Alice Gardner's recent article in @FE Week here: https://lnkd.in/eafZ63Wi #ApprenticeshipsWorks

Back from Labour Party Conference and pleased to see skills take such a prominent role throughout, including the PM’s commitment to ensuring two-thirds of young people will access higher skills through university, FE or a ’gold standard’ apprenticeship. Great recognition for FE and apprenticeships. At the Association of Apprentices, we’ve long known the transformative impact apprenticeships have on individuals, on businesses, and on the wider economy. Not least because apprentices tell us so. Their stories, experiences and ambitions continue to shape our work and drive our mission. We also know that to meet this new ambition, we must grow the number of high-quality opportunities available. That’s why we’re proud to be backing Edge Foundation's new campaign #ApprenticeshipsWork to increase apprenticeship opportunities in small and medium-sized enterprises. They will be pivotal to delivering the growth needed to meet the ambitions announced this week. https://lnkd.in/eKXsGZu7 Sorah Gluck

Despite growing demand, the number of apprenticeships for under-19s is falling. It’s time for better signposting and support for SMEs. Read more in Aice Gardner's recent article in FE Week here: https://lnkd.in/eafZ63Wi #ApprenticeshipsWorks

I met with Claire Gavaghan earlier this week at a networking forum, and her advice was 'golden'. I came at it from a parent with a daughter about to make the big decision about ''what to do after leaving sixth form and not wanting a university path''. Claire's knowledge and advice is both practical and simple to understand. She is the absolute go-to person in this arena , with a social conscious to do good. The market place is changing, and we need a more skilled workforce that can rebuild what we have lost over the last 20+ years. I highly recommend talking with Derwent Training Association about how bringing onboard apprentices could support and build your business, workforce and budgets!

We’re proud to support the Edge Foundation’s #ApprenticeshipsWork campaign, which at its heart is about helping small businesses unlock the potential of apprenticeships. 🔓 At City & Guilds, we know how transformative that can be, not just for employers, but for young people and communities too. “Improving how SMEs engage with the apprenticeship system is vital—not only to help businesses grow, but to break down barriers for young people and close the regional opportunity gaps highlighted in our own Making Skills Work report. When we get this right, the impact is felt far and wide: in workplaces, in communities, and across the economy.”- Kirstie Donnelly, MBE Find out more below 👇 #CityandGuilds #Apprenticeship #Skills

Last week Edge Foundation launched a new national campaign today to increase apprenticeship opportunities in small businesses. The campaign, #ApprenticeshipsWork, is a bid to boost the number of apprenticeships in small and medium-sized enterprises. We’re calling for a simpler, fairer system that works for both SMEs and young people, ensuring apprenticeships with small businesses deliver skills for growth across the UK. We are incredibly pleased to be joined by an amazing collection of partners including Amazing Apprenticeships, Recruitment & Employment Confederation, WorkWhile, Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), Co-op, Specsavers, Association of Apprentices and Youth Futures Foundation. https://lnkd.in/e6_ASQtW

The Colorado Apprenticeship Hub is pleased to announce the Colorado Apprenticeship Incentive (CAI) Grant. This competitive funding opportunity supports organizations that are developing or expanding Registered Apprenticeship Programs or high-quality pre-apprenticeship programs across Colorado. Applicants can access the full Request for Applications (RFA) along with supporting documents — including sample templates and planning tools — on our website. We encourage interested organizations to review the materials carefully and prepare strong applications. The CAI Grant is designed to support employer-driven training programs that open doors for job seekers in local communities. Learn more and access the full announcement: https://bit.ly/ADWCAI. #Apprenticeship #Grant #NoticeOfFunding