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EMPLOYERS / SME's  About this Area
Guide to Qualifications
Develop & Train Staff
FAQ's
Links and Resources
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This area has two main sections:  Empowering your workforce to reach their full potential
Government Supported Training
Please view our Links & Resources Section in conjunction with the information contained here. Remember to visit our HotCourses Search Feature in the Public Access Section of this website. ____________________________________________________ EMPOWERING YOUR WORKFORCE TO REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL Introduction In the 21st century, employment patterns are changing rapidly with people changing jobs and career more frequently. The impact of this is that the businesses of today require a multi-skilled and flexible workforce Employers need to encourage their workforce to be committed to development and training in order that they can (in partnership with their employer), manage industrial and technological change more effectively. To support employers who invest in their workforce, the Government has introduced a range of products and services, which if looked at collectively could be branded “workforce development”. What is workforce development? Workforce development consists of activities which increase the capacity of individuals to participate effectively in the workplace, thereby improving their productivity and employability The following initiatives are available to support you in your investment in workforce development: Basic skills development: The Basic Skills Agency is the national agency for basic skills in England and Wales and is supported and funded by the Government. Basic skills are defined as: " the ability to read, write, and speak in English (or Welsh), and to use mathematics at a level necessary to function at work and in society in general " Read, write plus The Adult Basic Skills Strategy Unit is launching a promotion strategy designed to encourage employers to address the literacy and numeracy needs of their staff through free advice and training. As a business, you need staff who can: · follow instructions · communicate effectively · understand signs and notices, particularly Health and Safety information · record faults and analyse problems · perform calculations · take on additional responsibility The cost to industry of high levels of literacy and numeracy skills needs in the workforce could be as great as £4.8 billion and the cost to individuals in terms of their lower earning power and reduced life choices is equally significant. For free advice on tackling literacy and numeracy in the workplace or to arrange a visit from a workplace skills adviser call: 0800 100 900. Career Development Loan (CDL) Quite simply, a career development loan (CDL) is a deferred repayment bank loan to help individuals pay for vocational learning or education. · An individual can borrow anything between £300 and £8,000 to help fund up to two years of learning plus (if relevant) up to one year’s practical work experience where it forms part of the course. · The Department for Education and Skills (DfES) pays the interest on the loan while the individual is learning and for up to one month afterwards. If the individual finishes the course before the agreed date, the repayment holiday will end up to one month after their last day of training. · The individual then repays the loan to the bank over an agreed period at a fixed rate of interest. · CDLs are available through three high street banks: Barclays, The Co-operative and The Royal Bank of Scotland. Applicants do not need to be existing account holders but the bank may require them to open an account with them For more information see the following web site: www.lifelonglearning.co.uk MATRIX Matrix is the national standard which ensures that as an employer you provide your workforce with quality assured information, advice and guidance on learning and work opportunities. For more information see the following web site: www.matrix-quality-standard.com E learning The term e-learning groups together education, training and structured information delivered by computers, through the Internet, or the Web, or from the hard drive of the computer. There is a growing trend towards e learning products and services and employers are advised to speak with the learning providers listed in the useful contacts if this is a preferred learning style for your employees. LearnDirect Business LearnDirect Business Offers a wide range of flexible business-focused courses, each looking at a specific business or management issue. All are delivered online, and therefore can be accessed at a time and place to suit the daily demands of running a small business. For more information see the following web site: www.learndirect-business.co.uk Investors in People Investors in People is the national Standard that sets a level of good practice for training and development of people to achieve business goals. The Standard provides a national framework for improving business performance and competitiveness, through a planned approach to setting and communicating business objectives and developing people to meet these objectives. The result is that what people can do and are motivated to do, matches what the organisation needs them to do. The process is cyclical and should engender the culture of continuous improvement. For more information on the Investors in People Standard contact your local Business Link, or click here: www.investorsinpeople.co.uk Time Off for Study or Training As a result of an amendment to the Employment Rights Act 1996, young people in employment aged 16 – 17 with educational qualifications below 5 GCSEs at grade C have the right to reasonable time off to study to enable them to achieve NVQ level 2 or equivalent. The amendment defines “reasonable” as the equivalent of a day a week. For more information click here: www.dfes.gov.uk/tfst Top of Page ____________________________________________________ GOVERNMENT SUPPORTED TRAINING Work Trial Work Trials allow employers to take someone on for short periods of up to 15 working days. It provides employer and the candidate with an opportunity to try each other out and gives you both time to make an informed decision. During a Work Trial the candidate will not be on your payroll as they continue to receive their benefit. New Deal for Employers New Deal is a key part of the Government’s strategy to help people move from welfare into work. The programme provides people who can work with the skills and training they need to improve their employability and help them rejoin Britain’s workforce. New Deal benefits for employers includes: · The opportunity to tackle skill shortages; · Access to candidates who are prepared for work and pre-screened; · Financial support; · Up to £75 a week for taking on a full-time employee over 25 · Up to £60 a week for taking on a young person aged 18 to 24 · Up to £750 towards training a young person aged 18 to 24 New Deal for Young People (Aged 18 to 24) Helps to equip tomorrow's workforce with: · Quality training · Further education · Work experience. The benefits for business: New Deal applicants are already equipped with the skills your business needs. Full time jobs are subsidised at £60 per week for up to six months. You can also get help with training costs. Jobs can be full time or part time. You will need to employ a New Deal recruit for at least 24 hours a week. An average of one day a week should be spent training for an approved qualification. For more information see the following web site: www.newdeal.gov.uk ____________________________________________________ Modern Apprenticeships Modern apprenticeships give young people wanting to become technicians or managers the skills and qualifications they need: For more information see the following web site: www.realworkrealplay.info ADVANCED MODERN APPRENTICESHIPS- Main Features: Available for young people aged 16-24 with good grades (A*– C) in 4 GCSEs or 2 GCSEs in vocational subjects or an equivalent qualification such as an Intermediate GNVQ or BTEC First Diploma or NVQ Level 2 Designed to provide quality training to industry standards, to at least NVQ Level 3 Employed and earning a wage as you learn As an employer your responsibilities include: On-the-job training - inducting the apprentice into their role and providing on-the-job training opportunities; Salary - paying apprentices in full-time employment. You can negotiate a salary that reflects their skills, experience, age, abilities and the going rate for the job; Recruitment- taking an active part in the recruitment of the apprentice Time for learning- giving apprentices enough time and resources for training and assessment commitments; and... Review - contributing to the regular review of the apprentice's progress. FOUNDATION MODERN APPRENTICESHIP (FMA) This is the first level of modern apprenticeship. An FMA takes at least 18 months to complete and leads to NVQ Level 2 and a Technical Certificate. MODERN APPRENTICESHIP WORK PLACEMENT If employing a Modern Apprentice is currently inappropriate for your business you can opt for a work placement. Modern Apprentices who are on work placements receive a guaranteed training allowance of £40 a week paid by the Learning and Skills Council. For more information on modern apprenticeships click here: www.realworkrealplay.info/ or telephone: 08000 150 400 ____________________________________________________ Industry-Specific Recruitment Initiatives At a national level Jobcentre Plus has been working with groups of employers and trade/ professional organisations to develop industry-specific recruitment initiatives. These involve designing training that is tailored to meet the specific recruitment needs of industry sectors or individual companies, providing in many cases job opportunities for those at a disadvantage in the labour market. If you have any questions about industry-specific recruitment initiatives, please e-mail Jobcentre Plus at: employerservices@jobcentreplus.gov.uk For further details on any of the above contact your nearest job centre plus offices: www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk ____________________________________________________ Local Job Centre Contacts: Hackney & City District Office 57 Kingsland Road Shoreditch London E2 8AQ Telephone: 020 77392112 Victoria Park Jobcentre 72 - 74 Mare Street Hackney UK E8 4RT Telephone: 020 82188000 Barking Jobcentre Phoenix House 12 - 14 Wakering Road Barking Essex UK IG11 8QB Telephone: 020 82588900 POPLAR 13 DOD ST. LONDON E14 7EP Lewisham Jobcentre 9 Holbeach Road Catford LONDON UK SE6 4TH Telephone: 020 89185000 Cityside Jobcentre 13-29 Settles Street Stepney London UK E1 1JW Telephone: 020 73016700 Job Centres - East Thames Area: Ilford Jobcentre 48 Cranbrook Road Ilford London UK IG1 4NF Telephone: 020 82102600 Dagenham Jobcentre Chequers Lane Dagenham London UK RM9 6PS Telephone: 020 82104800 Barking Jobcentre Phoenix House 12-14 Wakering Road Barking Essex IG11 8QB Telephone: 020 82588900 Seven Kings Jobcentre 564-570 High Road Seven Kings Ilford London IG3 8EJ Telephone: 020 82102700 Romford Jobcentre St Georges House 2 Eastern Road Romford London RM1 3PG Telephone: 01708 814437 Hornchurch Jobcentre Pioneer House North Street Hornchurch Essex RM11 1QZ Telephone: 01708 794191 Top of Page |
