http://www2.kirklees.gov.uk/news/onlinenews/newsdesk/fullstory.aspx?id=4493

Kirklees Council – Online news

Community groups, not-for-profit organisations and charities wishing to bid for up to £10,000 to help their local environment can now apply to Kirklees Council.The aim of the Environment Grant Scheme is to support projects which protect and enhance the environment and reduce carbon emissions for the benefit of local people.

Organisations wishing to apply for a large grant of up to £10,000 need to apply no later than August 17. These must be exceptional projects which will demonstrate innovative, sustainable benefits for Kirklees.

Organisations with ideas to improve the local environment can also apply for small grants up to £500 or medium grants up to £2,000. The next deadline date for the first round of small and medium grants is August 17, with a deadline of November 2 for the second round if there are any funds remaining.

The grants can be used as match funding. All applications must demonstrate value for money.

Cllr Peter McBride, Cabinet member for Investment and Regeneration, said: “The grants aim to encourage projects which involve communities in tackling climate change and encourage groups to develop creative and sustainable projects which enhance the natural environment in the rural and urban areas of Kirklees.”

The council’s application process has been split into two parts. All organisations applying for grants must first register their organisation with the Grant Access Point, which will then issue an application pack.

The deadline for registration is July 10 to ensure there is sufficient time to prepare your application. (Please note groups will only be required to register once every three years).

Please contact funding or call 01484 414824

More information is available on http://www.kirklees.gov.uk/environmentgrants.

Paul Champion
www.paulchampionuk.com
www.apprenticeshipblog.com

📱: 07540 704920

Twitter: @blogapprentice
Skype: paulchampion31

http://www.dailypioneer.com/columnists/item/51711-education-without-skills-will-lead-to-unemployment.html

Education without skills will lead to unemployment

Business is concerned with the employability potential of a candidate, and is not overly impressed by educational qualifications

An educated person is not necessarily employable. This has been the cry from industry bosses. Much of the teaching community counters it with: Education is not just about getting jobs. Between employers who expect moreand educators who cannot or will not focus on employability, our students are left adrift.

Governments across the world have been bringing out white papers on employability for over a decade. It has been established that skills that make people useful and productive need to be taught formally. This is true for both vocational and professional education. These abilities are the key to sustainable growth of progress for

entire nations.

So, when your new recruit manages to get a job done without being told thrice — that is a sign of good training which augurs well for your productivity as a unit, and ultimately for the entire country. But most young recruits fail to deliver initially.

This inability is a cost to the business and to the recruit. The skills required by employers have been mapped often, and include seemingly simple things such as communication, initiative, reliability, presentability and most importantly — content delivery.

India’s much vaunted demographic dividend is guaranteed to turn into a demographic disaster if our young people are not skilled and employable. The sheer mass of young people without adequate skills to develop themselves and their organisations is enough to create horrific scenarios for the near future. It is clearly acknowledged that there is not too much time — we need rapid upskilling networks to be in place in the next three to five years.

Or, we face the prospect of three to five million unemployables flooding our streets every year. Either they will need to invest in themselves to retain these jobs, or their employers will need to invest in them to ensure that their jobs get done with a reasonable degree of competence.

In either case, a part of the cost will have to be borne by the employer, either in inefficiency or in mistakes. Employers may also have to invest in tighter job descriptions, with clearer and simpler expectations to match the dumbing down of skills that they report.

This last option would actually be a shame, as most mechanical jobs can be done by machines. Globally, jobs now seek skills that cannot be transferred to machines, making them more challenging to predict and to deliver.

This is where the core challenge for skill-providers lies. They truly have no means of predicting what skills may be required for the future, nor can they possibly estimate with much accuracy how long the need for those skills will last.

The best they can do is ask employers what they require in their employees and seek to train people to those requirements. India has decided to tackle this by setting up sector skills councils via its industry associations. Sector skills councils are designed to provide insights into skills requirements that will inform colleges and trainers, who in turn will be able to design courses appropriately.

The idea is both sound and is tested in many countries with some variations. It has proved to be a qualified success, which is why in India the model needs to evolve with usability and sustainability built into the design. The National Skills Development Corporation has done some stellar work, while other initiatives including the upgrading of the ITIs, languish.

One of the biggest hurdles in developing a strong skills building system is the funding. Everybody seems to think that the responsibility for developing these skills lies with another set of institutions. Employers blame colleges, colleges blame schools and schools blame societal attitudes.

To complete the circle, prospective employees are blithely unaware of the standards expected of them, and blame employers when a mismatch occurs. This gap between abilities and expectations is traditionally filled by employers only for their current employees as they groom them for growth within the organisation. They do this through in house and external training, mentoring and coaching programs supplemented by appraisal cycles.

But they see no reason to invest in people they do not know yet. Schools and training colleges are stuck with ancient curricula. But more importantly, they do not see employability as an objective for the education they provide. Students and their sponsors may be willing to pay, but if there is a clear understanding of the benefits that will accrue — without proof they will not invest.

Skills development training needs cohesive investment from all — employers, educators and employees, and ultimately from the Government too. The need for cogent action is truly urgent, not only because of our youth that deserves to be groomed to its true potential, but also because the employment market is global.

If one country does not supply competent employees, the demand will rapidly move to another country. India cannot afford to allow others to steal a march on the employability of our youth. Without an honest and decisive push in our skills strategy — the youth of the country are due for a frustrating ride in the global job markets of the future.

(The writer is an education strategy consultant who has lived, worked and taught in London for over a decade. She is now based in New Delhi.)

Paul Champion www.paulchampionuk.com
www.apprenticeshipblog.com

Mobile: 07540 704920

Skype: paulchampion31
Twitter: @blogapprentice
@changetwyt
@champouk

LinkedIn: http://uk.linkedin.com/in/champo

Sent from my iPad

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/campaigns/100-jobs/weve-set-our-sights-on-helping-our-young-people-take-their-first-steps-towards-employment-16165860.html

We’ve set our sights on helping our young people take their first steps towards employment

As the Belfast Telegraph today launches its initiative to create more apprenticeships for the workforce in Northern Ireland Kerry McKittrick and Jamie McDowell talk to some who have taken this career route.

As the recession continues to bite this newspaper is determined to help young people find a remunerative career. While there is an increasing emphasis on going on to third level education, apprenticeships offer an alternative route into employment.

At present less than 8% of young people here follow that route.

Our aim is to encourage more companies to offer apprenticeshps and to point up the prospects to young people.

There are more than 11,000 apprentices cur

rently in training in Northern Ireland learning the valuable skills — from IT to hairdressing and refrigeration — that will equip them for a meaningful working life.

With the support of the Department for Employment and Learning, and some of the province’s best know employers, we launch our initiatve today.

We speak to some young people who are currently undertaking apprenticeships and to those who are helping them learn the ropes of their chosen careers.

The Joiner

Michael McCormick (19) is an apprentice joiner with Richmond, a specialist outfitting company. He lives in Belfast and is currently in his third year. He says:

I’ve always been interested in doing an apprenticeship because I’ve always wanted to work with my hands. Even when I was still at school I did all of my work experience at building sites.

I chose joinery because I thought it had the best opportunities for advancement. I go to tech one day a week to learn about technical drawings but the rest of the time I’m working with the company. Once I finish my apprenticeship I’d really like to stay and progress with the company.”

Colin Angus (44) is facilities manager at Richmond. He says:

I really enjoyed doing my apprenticeship. It has given me a trade but it also gave me the opportunity to work my way up through the company as I have done.

Now I’m one of the people responsible for choosing the new apprentices as they come in. They’re not obligated to keep going with an apprenticeship if they don’t enjoy it.

We get around four a year — sometimes all of them will stay, sometimes they don’t. It depends on the person. About half of our workforce started with us as apprentices. There are different specialisations within joinery and we can train people in each of them.

I believe that a joinery apprenticeship actually opens the door for all sorts of trades. When outfitting a premises the joiner is the one who is on site the whole way through and sees everything that’s going on. It’s very helpful when people are considering moving on to supervisory roles.”

The Toolmaker

Conor Crossey (21) lives in |Lisburn and is an apprentice toolmaker at Bombardier Aerospace, Belfast. He says:

I left school at 16 and went to tech to study construction. I only stayed there for a year and a half and didn’t finish the course.

I’ve always preferred to work with my hands and my dad’s a mechanic so I’ve been helping him out for years.

It was my girlfriend’s mum who suggested that I do an apprenticeship.

It was a way that I could work, learn and earn all at the same time.

And I was working with my hands.

I applied for an apprenticeship at Bombardier and I’m due to finish the three-year programme in September.

I’m guaranteed a job at the end of my time and I’ve made it to the final five of the Apprentice of the Year Northern Ireland awards.”

Carol Phillips is vice president of human resources, Bombardier Aerospace. She says:

Our apprentice scheme is the largest in Ireland and it’s been going for the last 50 years, which really says a lot about how valuable our apprentices our to the company.

We have a dedicated programme for apprentices here called Interpoint, and the vast majority of the apprentices who finish their three years go on to progress through the company.

Apprentices are so important to us us for the simple fact that it’s very hard to find skilled workers to fill the roles that we need.

Many senior people at Bombardier have started their careers here as apprentices.

In the last few years we’ve seen many young people having finished their A levels looking at an apprenticeship as an option as opposed to university. We’ve even noticed people aged 40-50 beginning apprenticeships.

Some who may have lost their job because of the recession, others who just fancy a change of direction.”

The Engineer

Karlene McBride (24) is a machinist at John Huddleston Engineering in Greyabbey and lives in Dundonald. She says:

I started here when I was 18 and did my apprenticeship over four years.

I left school at 16 after my GCSEs but I didn’t really know what to do with myself after that.

My dad and sister both worked at Shorts so I knew it would be good to get a trade.

While I was doing my apprenticeship I would be on one or two days of release to go to college and learn about the technical side of things. You’re not necessarily guaranteed a job when you finish your apprenticeship here. I did get one but even if I hadn’t at least I would have had a trade to fall back on when I finished.”

Kelvin McGreeghan (40) is the apprentice trainer and lathe turner at the firm. He says:

I started my apprenticeship in 1988 when I was 16. It was kind of the only option back then.

I think it was a good career choice though.

I did my four-year apprenticeship — the apprenticeship programme is still four years today here.

It’s been very good because it has set me on a career track and I still have options to study and progress through the company.

Good apprentices really add value to a company.

We take on four or five a year and it leaves us with a workforce we have trained ourselves to our own high standard.”

The solicitor

Stephanie Kydd (24) is a trainee solicitor with Peter Bowles & Co and lives in Saintfield. She says:

I decided to be a solicitor around the time I was deciding what universities to apply for.

I found out that you needed three As in order to get into law at Queen’s and because that was what I was able to attain I decided to apply. I thought that law would be a profession that was both challenging and rewarding.

Once I graduated I applied for a place at the Law Institute and started to look for a master. You have to find your own master by a particular deadline — if you don’t find one then you will lose your place at the Institute.

I know people that has happened to. I also know people who found a master but didn’t get a place at the Institute so anything can happen.

The apprenticeship has been invaluable in teaching me how to practice law.

The training we get at the institute is very important but this practical experience is key.”

Peter Bowles (31) is a solicitor from Dromara and owns the Saintfield legal firm. He says:

A law degree gives you all of the theory but the apprenticeship is where a trainee solicitor will get their practical experience. They learn how to deal with the paper work and how to handle clients and sit in with consultations that I do.

At the moment I have two apprentices. I could have hired a full-time solicitor instead but I decided that this would be a good way to identify someone that it would be good to work with in the future. It’s my commitment to the profession and its development in the future. After all, I supervise and am responsible for all of the work my apprentices do.

An apprenticeship is an excellent way to develop a professional role within the law. I would like to think though that when the two I have finish at the Law Institute in September I will have the work here to keep them on.”

The Butcher

Daniel McClelland (17) is an apprentice butcher and lives in Bangor. He says:

While I was still at school I started a Saturday job at the shop.

There was a course at school that was set up to help people get jobs and through that I was also able to get released from school to work a couple of days a week.

From there I was offered an apprenticeship for four years and I decided to take it.

I think an apprenticeship is a good way to get a start in life and earn a living.

I always wanted to take a manual job but I would take cutting meat over manufacturing any day – it can take a bit of getting used to though.

I work both in the shop and in the plant but I’d like to stay in the plant when I finish and working on boning and trimming.

I really don’t know a lot about the cooking side of things but I know a lot more now I work here.

The funny thing is I didn’t eat much meat before I came here — to be honest, I didn’t really like it much. Now that I’ve been here a while though I find that I really like a nice fillet steak.”

William Corrie Jnr (26) is the operations manager of Corries Meats in Newtownards. He says:

I started my apprenticeship here when I was 16. It’s a family business so I was going into it and I didn’t necessarily have to do the apprenticeship but I felt that it was very important that I knew what I was doing.

An apprenticeship enabled me to start from the bottom and work my way up.

Funnily enough I actually wanted to be a joiner but I had an expensive lifestyle and the career progression was better through butchery — there’s a clear career path.

The firm has two apprentices at the moment. They’re important because we can turn them into the ideal employee who knows exactly how everything here is done — someone who has trained elsewhere won’t quite have that.

Apprentices can also be put on certain career paths, be it as managers and so on.

It’s actually getting harder to get apprentices these days because butchery isn’t a very attractive job.

Once you get through the door you know in the first few months if it’s the job for you.

We’ve actually considered making a cooking class part of the apprenticeship. If you’re working in the shop then knowing how to cook different cuts of meat is a massive part of the job.

Our butchers just gain the knowledge as they go on.”

Help make a real difference

• If you are a business owner or chief executive interested in bolstering our young people’s life choices by creating a new apprenticeship, please email BTapprentices and we will let readers know of your interest

• For young people to find out about the government funded ApprenticeshipsNI programme go to: www.nidirect.gov.uk/apprenticeshipsni or tel: 0800 0854 573

Paul Champion www.paulchampionuk.com
www.apprenticeshipblog.com

Mobile: 07540 704920

Skype: paulchampion31
Twitter: @blogapprentice
@changetwyt
@champouk

LinkedIn: http://uk.linkedin.com/in/champo

Sent from my iPad

http://m.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/may/29/michael-gove-open-state-schools-profit?cat=politics&type=article

m.guardian.co.uk

The education secretary has given his clearest indication yet that a future Conservative government would let state schools be run for profit.

Giving evidence to the Leveson inquiry into phone hacking, Michael Gove was asked whether he hoped free schools would be able to make profits in a Tory second term.

He replied: “It’s my belief that we could move to that situation but at the moment it’s important to recognise that the free schools movement is succeeding without that element and I think we should cross that bridge when we come to it.”

Allowing schools to make a profit is politically toxic. A Populus poll this year found overwhelming public opposition.

It is also a sore point in the coalition. Nick Clegg made a speech in September last year in which he ruled out profit-making, saying: “Let me reassure you … ‘no’ to running schools for a profit, not in our state-funded education sector.”

Alluding to coalition tensions, Gove said: “There are some of my colleagues in the coalition who are very sceptical of the benefits of profit. I have an open mind.

“I believe that it may be the case that we can augment the quality of state education by extending the range of people involved in its provision.”

Previously he has said that while he is a “pragmatist” on the question of profit-making, it was not necessary at present.

A shortage of capital is a barrier to the expansion of the government’s free schools programme, and private investment would provide an injection of cash for new school buildings. While academies and free schools are run independently, they are classed as public bodies and their surpluses cannot go to shareholders.

At the inquiry Gove was questioned about a News International proposal to create an academy school in east London, which fell through because the Department for Education (DfE) could not afford to pay for a new building. He said: “We took a decision to step back and say we cannot provide the capital.”

In emails published by the inquiry a senior DfE official told News International the “very tight” spending review meant a new building could not be funded.

Gove said on Tuesday that the publisher of the Sun and the Times was also interested in creating a second school in west London.

“I understand … that they had wanted to set up one school in the East End in order to ensure that their sense of corporate social responsibility was fulfilled. There was some talk at one point that another might be located in west London but that was the limit of their ambition.”

Gove said he believed Rupert Murdoch was only interested in opening a free school for “purely philanthropic” reasons. He said he knew nothing about News Corporation’s educational subsidiary, Wireless Generation, until he “read about it in the Guardian“. The firm’s software helps teachers analyse pupils’ performance.

Gove said that he was aware Murdoch and others had an interest in the way technology would change education.

There was a hint Gove planned to make this announcement on Tuesday; his special adviser Henry de Zoete was present in a annex for the press at the inquiry and encouraged reporting of the comments.

Kevin Courtney, deputy general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said: “It is well known that in Sweden one of the major ways in which schools make profits is by employing non-qualified staff to do the jobs of teachers. Michael Gove has already made it within the law that free schools are not required to employ qualified teachers.

“The free schools policy is a licence for the private sector to make money and is not in the interest of children, families or the taxpayer.”

Paul Champion
www.paulchampionuk.com
www.apprenticeshipblog.com

📱: 07540 704920

Twitter: @blogapprentice
Skype: paulchampion31

http://feweek.co.uk/2012/05/30/ofsted-scraps-no-notice-inspections/

Ofsted scraps no notice inspections

Ofsted has dropped plans to introduce no notice inspections in the FE sector.

The notice period for inspections will instead be reduced to two working days from September 2012.

Matthew Coffey, national director for learning and skills at Ofsted said: “After listening to people’s views following our consultation Ofsted is reducing the notice period of inspections for further education and skills providers from three weeks to two working days as many providers raised genuine concerns about logistics.”

Ofsted say “just under half” of all respondents agreed with the proposal to make all inspections unannounced. In comparison “almost three quarters” of learners supported the change.

The Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP) say they are pleased Ofsted has dropped the proposal.

“It would have reduced the reliability and comparability of the results,” an AELP spokesperson said.

“Given that apprenticeships are employer based programmes and apprentices are employees who may not come together to learn in a formal sense on a regular basis, the samples available to inspectors may be significantly skewed simply due to who is available to be observed or interviewed at no notice.”

The spokesperson added: “There might well have been instances where there were no learners on site at all.”

(Note: This article will be updated as the day progresses.)

Paul Champion
www.paulchampionuk.com
www.apprenticeshipblog.com

📱: 07540 704920

Twitter: @blogapprentice
Skype: paulchampion31

http://www.labour.org.uk/

European Commission is latest international organisation to warn that Government urgently needs plan for jobs and growth – Reeves

30 May 2012

Rachel Reeves MP, Labour’s Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, in response to the European Commission’s report on the UK economy, said:

“This is just the latest international organisation to warn that the Conservative-led Government urgently needs a plan for jobs and growth.

“Bringing forward infrastructure investment now would help to boost an economy that’s been pushed into a double-dip recession by this Government’s mistakes. It’s what the IMF called for last week and what Labour has been demanding in its five point jobs plan.

“Without urgent action to get our economy moving again, the Government will cause long-term damage and won’t succeed in getting the deficit down. After this week’s u-turns, and with Britain now in recession, David Cameron and George Osborne need to rethink their failing economic policies.”

Paul Champion
www.paulchampionuk.com
www.apprenticeshipblog.com

📱: 07540 704920

Twitter: @blogapprentice
Skype: paulchampion31

http://www.ifl.ac.uk/newsandevents/press-releases/ifl-welcomes-ofsted-focus-on-outstanding-teaching-and-learning

IfL welcomes Ofsted focus on outstanding teaching and learning

Wednesday 30 May 2012

The Institute for Learning (IfL) has welcomed Ofsted’s announcement that providers of further education and skills training will need to demonstrate outstanding teaching, learning and assessment in order to be judged outstanding overall. This is one of the measures that will be incorporated in the Common inspection framework and Handbook for inspections of further education and skills, which Ofsted intends to publish by 15 June 2012.

Toni Fazaeli, chief executive of IfL, said, “IfL’s response to Ofsted’s consultation, A good education for all, was informed by a member survey in which 88 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with the proposal that outstanding teaching equals an outstanding college or provider. Members were also positive about proposals to grade ‘inadequate’ a provider that has not improved after three consecutive inspections at grade 3, as they felt it was in learners’ best interests for improvements to be made quickly.

“Having expressed our concerns about the vast importance of learner feedback not being reflected in Ofsted’s inspection framework proposals, we are pleased to see the way in which Ofsted has presented distinctively the views of learners, including those who responded to surveys conducted by the National Union of Students and the online learner panel. The FAQ document is quite clear that inspectors’ judgements will not be based on data alone: as well as looking at retention, progress and whether learners go on to do further learning or into sustainable employment, they will talk to learners about whether they enjoy their course and whether it is meeting their needs.

“The move to just two days’ notice for inspections should remove unnecessary build-up and pressure for teachers and trainers – there was a strong sense from members who took part in our consultation that they think inspection is important, and that short-notice inspections would feel more professional and less stressful.

“Finally, we reiterate our offer to work with Ofsted to explore how teachers and trainers can get the most from inspection, including improvements so that teachers observed always get clear and informative feedback from inspectors, to help improve practice and confirm what works well.”

Notes

Download Responses to Ofsted’s consultation ‘A good education for all’ on further education and skills (PDF, 367KB)

Download the accompanying FAQ document (PDF, 20KB)

Download IfL’s response to the Ofsted consultation, A good education for all (PDF, 825KB)

Paul Champion
www.paulchampionuk.com
www.apprenticeshipblog.com

📱: 07540 704920

Twitter: @blogapprentice
Skype: paulchampion31

http://www.tameside.ac.uk/pages/article.aspx?article_id=4745

University Course Information Evening

Wed, 30 May 2012

University Course Information Evening: Thursday 21st June, between 5:30pm to 7:30pm.

Come along and find out about the University courses available at Tameside College. We have a wide range of full – time and part – time courses available in:

• PGCE/Certificate in Education (Post- Compulsory Education and Training)
• BA (Hons) Education and Training
• BA (Hons) Computer Game Visualisation and Production
• HND/HNC in Electrical/Electronic Engineering
• HND/HNC in Mechanical Engineering
• Foundation Degree in Teaching Assistance
• Foundation Degree in Early Years Practice
• Foundation Degree in Sport Coaching and Fitness Therapy
• Diploma in Management
• AAT Accounting Level 4
• HNC in Construction
• HNC in Building Services
• ACCA Fundamentals

University courses are a fantastic investment in your future, with graduates on average earning £12k per year more than non-graduates over their working lifetimes. Graduates are also half as likely to be unemployed, and twice as likely to find work again quickly if they are. Teacher Education student Neil Harrison provides an insight into what it’s like to study on a university course at Tameside College:

STUDENT CASE STUDY: Neil Harrison
Neil began his career as an apprentice joiner in 1986, working his way up to managing a local company in Ashton-under-Lyne, but had always promised himself that he would go into teaching at some point.

So, in 2010 he decided to put all the skills he had learned over the years to use in a different way and enrolled on to Tameside College’s City and Guilds Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector Level 3 course, quickly followed by attendance on the Certificate in Teaching in the Lifelong Sector programme.

“Stepping out of the world of work and going back into education has given me a real sense of achievement,” Neil explains. “I feel as though I’m now giving something back, which is really rewarding, and it’s been great seeing the progress made, both in myself and those that I’ve been teaching.”

In 2011 Neil began on the Certification in Education and is currently on track to earning qualified teacher status by the end of the year. “Ideally, I’d like to move into post-16 teaching,” he adds. “I’ve had to put in a lot of hard work to get to this stage, but there’s a huge feeling of satisfaction when I look back at what I’ve achieved. I’ve done what I said I would do all those years ago and am looking forward to passing on what I’ve learned to others in the future.”

HE FEES INFORMATION
Part-time and Full-time students are eligible for a student loan from September 2012. Repayments of the loan only start once you find a job and earn over £21,000 a year. The amount you pay each month will depend on how much more than £21,000 you earn.

Once earning over £21,000 you will pay 9% of the difference between your wage and £21,000 per year. For example, if you start earning £25,000, you’ll only be paying back at a rate of around £1 a day, which is less than a cup of coffee!

Example:
£25,000 (the amount you earn) minus £21,000 = £4,000
9% of £4000 = £360
£360 over 12 months = less than £1 a day!

If you have any questions regarding the Information Evening or University courses contact our Student Services Team on 0161 908 6789.

Paul Champion
www.paulchampionuk.com
www.apprenticeshipblog.com

📱: 07540 704920

Twitter: @blogapprentice
Skype: paulchampion31

http://www.hrmagazine.co.uk/hro/news/1073415/businesses-touch-generation-staff-failure-engage-social-media-reports-hyphen

Businesses are out of touch with a new generation of staff through failure to engage with social media, reports Hyphen

David Woods, 29 May 2012

The poll of 1,000 workers shows nearly two thirds (60%) of UK workers do not, or are unable to engage with their employer on social media channels, such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

A fifth (17%) say that their organisation does not communicate via social media channels at all.

The survey shows that the reputation of businesses is increasingly forged online, with more than half (51%) of UK employees saying that an active social media presence is an important factor in determining an organisation’s overall reputation as an employer.

Members of so-called generation Y (25-34 year olds) draw the strongest link between corporate reputation and social media presence, the research shows.

Over two thirds (69%) of Gen Y employees think an active social media presence is important for an organisation’s reputation as an employer. A fifth (19%) of Gen Y-ers look at an organisation’s Twitter feed to find out more about the organisation they are applying to – compared to just 5% of 45-54 year olds – and half (50%) follow their employer’s activity on social media channels.

Separate research from Hyphen’s parent organisation, Adecco Group, showed that UK business is out-of-touch with the integration and importance of social media in the workplace.

A poll of 1,500 workers and 500 employers showed that well over half (59%) of employers think that access to social media at work is impacting on productivity. Meanwhile, only a third (36%) of workers subscribe to this view.

Zain Wadee, MD at Hyphen, said: “Used effectively, social media has the power to engage, attract and retain talent, foster new business opportunities and bolster reputation – online and offline.

“Our research shows that businesses are out of touch with a new generation of employees that communicate and engage with organisations online more often than they do offline. Businesses and brands that invest in digital and extend their communications to social networks will ultimately strengthen their talent and profit pipelines.

“UK business must now reassess their engagement and communication strategies; failure to do so could alienate a whole range of stakeholders – including current and potential clients, future consumers and, importantly, employees.”

Paul Champion
www.paulchampionuk.com
www.apprenticeshipblog.com

📱: 07540 704920

Twitter: @blogapprentice
Skype: paulchampion31

http://www.intraining.co.uk/individuals/success-stories/24-7-recruitment

Intraining: Individuals

Having clocked up at least 12 years of unemployment between them a group of people from Leicester is celebrating after finding new roles through the Work Programme with the help of national training provider, Intraining.

The news is good for the individuals of a county where recent figures show that the number of people claiming Job Seekers Allowance (JSA) currently stands at over 23,000.*

All 11 have been taken on by 24/7 Recruitment to fill vacancies at international logistics company DHL.

Tony Smith, 47, was the first to be taken on as Office Supervisor and has since recruited a further 10 warehouse operatives. “I had been unemployed for over a year when I was referred to Intraining,” he said. “I’d been working as the Office Manager in our family taxi business and left as a result of cost cutting due to lack of work.

“The help and advice I received from Intraining was just what I needed. The team worked closely with me to help improve my cv and covering letters and develop my interview technique. After a couple of months I landed my first job as an Administration Assistant at DHL.”

When Tony’s contract at DHL ended he did not find himself back in the job centre. 24/7 Recruitment were so impressed with him that they took him on to manage their on-site office at DHL.

Martin Clark, Area Manager at 24/7 Recruitment said: “We always use Intraining when sourcing candidates for vacancies and when they put Tony forward for the position at DHL, we were really impressed with him. His previous experience in office management meant that he was perfect to fill our own Office Manager role.”

Rakesh Kachhela, Employment Engagement Consultant at Intraining, said it was good to have such a valued relationship in the area.

“Being 24/7’s preferred choice when it comes to recruiting staff is something that we’re proud of. The fact that we have been able to facilitate them employing this many people at DHL, through the Work Programme, is testament to the great relationship we have.”

Intraining delivers the Government’s Work Programme in Leicester as a sub contractor for Ingeus. The Work Programme is the biggest single payment-by-results employment programme Britain has ever seen. It gives personalised and tailored support to help jobseekers get back into work and providers have the freedom to design support based on individual and local need.

Businesses with vacancies who are looking for new employees and would like free assistance with recruitment can call Intraining on 0116 2238556.

Paul Champion
www.paulchampionuk.com
www.apprenticeshipblog.com

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Twitter: @blogapprentice
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