Agenda item

Chantal Young will give a presentation on how apprenticeships may help Parish Councils.

Two information papers are attached.

A video countering myths about apprenticeships may be viewed on YouTube at . https://youtu.be/AiD3RZ6WsXw

Chantal Young, B&NES HR Partner – Organisational Development, gave a presentation on apprenticeships.

She said that many of us have fixed ideas about apprenticeships, but since a

year ago when the Government introduced the Apprenticeship Levy, the landscape had completely changed. The Council can now can recruit for degree apprenticeships in social work, so for the first time did not have to go to universities to find social workers. The Council can offer a professional qualification in social work, and would in the future also be able to do the same for teacher trainees and town planners. The Government has imposed a levy on employers with a pay bill of more than £3m. Employers paying the levy can apply to the Government’s apprenticeship service for money to be put into an apprenticeship account to be used to pay for training. For the first time this year the Council can offer some of that money to partner organisations. This gives the Council an opportunity to offer financial support for apprenticeships to town and parish councils. Parish councils can apply for money to recruit a new employee and pay for their training. A number of examples of apprenticeships that might be useful within parish councils was given on page 17 of the agenda papers. The apprenticeship needed to be a genuine role within the parish council with a contract of employment for at least one year, and the parish council had to pay the salary. Alternatively an apprenticeship could be offered to an existing member of staff, who would remain on the same terms and conditions and take on apprenticeship training. The Council had brought in new staff on apprenticeships and was also using apprenticeships to upskill existing staff. Up to 20% of working hours had to be allowed for learning outside of work, a very broad term which could include attending college, attending meetings, reading, researching or project work. An apprenticeship had to be based on the acquisition of new skills and not just involve a continuation of existing ones. An apprenticeship could be offered to any one of any age.

Chantal showed a video countering myths about apprenticeships. This can be accessed on YouTube at https://youtu.be/AiD3RZ6WsXw.

Chantal explained that at this stage the opportunity for the funding of an apprenticeship could only be offered to one employer, in order to test the system, that is to confirm that payments to the training provider can be made through the Council’s online apprenticeship account. The Council can help parish councils to find a training provider. There was a limit of 10% of the Council’s apprenticeship budget that could be offered to a parish. If parishes wished to explore the possibility of using the apprenticeship scheme, they should contact Lisa Pollard, Apprenticeship Co-ordinator at the Council.

In response to questions from delegates Chantal said:

• Apprenticeships can be part-time jobs, though there had to be a minimum of, she thought, 16 hours work and 20% of the part time hours have to be allowed for off-the-job training.

• Only one employer can be funded and there were criteria for what roles could be apprenticeships. The parish council must be the employer. If more than one parish applied and they all met the criteria, there would have to be a selection process.

The Chair thanked Chantal for her presentation.