Business Update - Issue 41 (February 2019)
Updated 1 November 2021
Applies to England
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1. Apprenticeship service update
1.1 Inform: new functionality that allows employers to give training providers permission to create apprenticeship cohorts on the apprenticeship service
Employers are now able to give training providers permission to create cohorts on their behalf in their apprenticeship service account, as part of on-going improvements.
Training providers will need to access the new ‘Create cohort’ area of the service to choose an employer to create a cohort for. Only employers that have given permission will be listed.
Employers who wish to give permission to their provider to create a cohort will need to discuss this with their provider offline first. When they access the service they need to click on the ‘Add training provider’ area and add their provider’s UK Provider Reference Number (UKPRN) to complete the confirmation. The employer will still need to approve the cohort and apprentice details before the apprentices go live.
For more information please contact the National Apprenticeship Service on 08000 150 600 or email the helpdesk at helpdesk@manage-apprenticeships.service.gov.uk.
1.2 Inform: recruit an apprentice webinar - Wednesday 20 February 2019, 12pm
Employers can find out more about using the recruit an apprentice function on the apprenticeship service in a webinar this month.
The webinar, which will be held on Wednesday 20 February at 12pm, will include a walkthrough of the function, as well as valuable information and tips on using the service. Participants will also have the opportunity to ask questions. Forthcoming webinars can be booked online.
The webinar is part of a new series launched by the apprenticeship service last year. Topics covered so far include transferring funds and the pause and stop function. All webinars are recorded and are available to view on the ESFA YouTube channel.
Employers are also encouraged to suggest topics for future webinars. If there are any topics that you would like us to cover, please respond to our survey to share your ideas.
2. New national apprenticeship campaign launched
2.1 Inform: launch of the national apprenticeship campaign
The national apprenticeship campaign launched on 17th January. Employers can support the campaign by:
Posting social media content using the suggested posts in the toolkit, including relevant handles/hashtags: @FireItUp_Apps and #FireItUp. We will be looking out for your content and promoting across our own channels.
Sharing case studies of your own apprentices and your apprenticeship programme on your channels. We have provided social media handles and hashtags to support with this.
Posting apprenticeship vacancies on find an apprenticeship
This is a free GOV.UK service and receives over half a million visitors per month. Please encourage your organisation and partners to also use and promote it. Training providers and levy paying employers can upload vacancies directly to it using the recruit an apprentice function.
Videos
You can view the TV advert:
You can also watch some really inspirational apprentice and employer case studies that feature as part of the campaign.
Toolkit
Please share the link to the toolkit within your organisation. It contains all the campaign material and collateral for you to use to promote apprenticeships using the Fire It Up campaign look and feel.
More information
If you would like to know more about the campaign, listen to our recorded webinar. The webinar covers the Fire It Up campaign, National Apprenticeship Week and the Vacancy Snapshot.
3. National Apprenticeship Week 2019 - Blaze a Trail!
The 12th annual National Apprenticeship Week will run from 4 to 8 March 2019.
The theme for National Apprenticeship Week 2019 is ‘Blaze a Trail’, inspired by our new ‘Fire it Up’ national marketing campaign.
We would love you to get involved to help us achieve our aim to change the perceptions people have on what an apprenticeship is and who takes them up, whilst encouraging people of all ages and backgrounds to start an apprenticeship.
If you are hosting an event during NAW2019 please add it to our events map – this will help you to promote your event, and allow us to see the scale of participation.
A NAW2019 logo and three support documents are now available on our resources page. They include ‘#3 asks’ and documents are audience specific (one for apprentices, employers and stakeholders).
We will be active on social media, so please include @Apprenticeships, #BlazeATrail and #NAW2019 in your posts.
If you have any further questions please email us at The.Week@education.gov.uk.
4. Support to promote your apprenticeship vacancies
This is your chance to promote your apprenticeship opportunities to over 300,000 potential high calibre applicants through our Higher and Degree Apprenticeship Listing.
The listing showcases thousands of vacancies from a number of high profile employers that are due to start in September 2019.
4.1 Connect with talent
Why not take advantage of National Apprenticeship Week (4 – 8 March 2019) and the current UCAS recruitment cycle? The listing will be promoted at all of the events we attend, including over 35 UCAS Career Fairs, as well as through our work in schools. It will also be promoted through dedicated emails and uploaded to GOV.UK.
4.2 Next steps – Ready for applications?
There is no charge for featuring in the listing, just email Apprentice.Engagement@education.gov.uk for more details. They will send you a short template that needs to be completed and returned by Tuesday 19 February 2019.
We will be updating the listing throughout the year, if you do not make this iteration you can send us your details after National Apprenticeship Week and they will feature in the next edition.
5. Further information
If you want to know more specifically about apprenticeship marketing, communications and learner engagement, please sign up to our monthly Stakeholder Update.