Summary: 

The London Progression Collaboration are calling on London’s large employers to pledge unspent apprenticeship levy funds to Reskilling the Recovery, to support the recovery of SMEs from the   COVID-19 crisis. 

All businesses across the capital have been affected by COVID-19, with SMEs amongst the worst hit by the crisis. SMEs are a vital part of London’s business ecosystem, so ensuring they can access the skills and training they need to support their recovery is vital. By pledging unspent apprenticeship levy funds to Reskilling the Recovery, large businesses can cover the costs of apprenticeship training for SMEs, enabling them to take on and train new staff or up skill existing team members for the challenge ahead.

Reskilling the Recovery provides the chance for London businesses to help support each other through this crisis as London’s economy recovers. With all businesses keeping a careful watch on their bottom line, the campaign is not asking for cash, but rather for businesses to pledge some of their unspent apprenticeship levy to support SMEs.

It’s also an opportunity for large businesses to support the creation of apprenticeship opportunities for Londoners, to demonstrate corporate and social responsibility, and to reduce wastage of their unspent apprenticeship levy – all of which send a powerful message to customers and investors.

Find out more here 

Summary: 

Youth Futures Foundation is looking for a new Board Member to join the organisation and Chair the Finance & Audit Committee. As one of the first Board Members, you will have the opportunity to shape Youth Futures Foundation in its infancy, helping to bring its vision to life. Working with your Board colleagues and the staff team, you will help shape their long-term strategy, then hold the executive team to account for delivery. 

For this role, Youth Futures Foundation are seeking a qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA or equivalent) with experience of operating in a senior leadership role within finance, ideally gained in a complex, commercial setting. It would be desirable for individuals to also have exposure to low employment/high poverty areas of the country or practical industry experience of engaging/employing young people.

If you share Youth Futures Foundation’s passion and commitment to helping all young people, whatever their background, overcome challenges and find meaningful work as the foundation for a better future for themselves and society, then please visit https://search.green-park.co.uk/yff/ to find out more about this exciting opportunity or you can apply direct here.

Applications close: 9.00am 13th July 2020.

FutureDotNow are coordinating industry action through a new initiative, DevicesDotNow, targeting the 1.9 million households who don’t have access to the internet and are digitally excluded as we face a socially distanced world gripped by COVID-19. Supported by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, the DevicesDotNow campaign is asking businesses to donate tablets, smartphones and laptops, as well as connectivity in the form of sims, dongles and mobile hotspots.

Find out more here.

Summary: BAE Systems is moving forward with the recruitment of a record number of apprentices, despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

More than 9,000 people across the UK applied for the 800 BAE apprenticeship roles during February. BAE Systems have put in place measures, including virtual interviews, which have enabled them to restart our recruitment drive with almost 2,000 shortlisted candidates.

Charles Woodburn, Chief Executive, BAE Systems, said:

“Getting people back to work and creating new jobs, especially for younger people, is a national priority and we’re pleased to play our part in supporting the UK’s economic recovery. The contribution apprentices make to our business is vital in maintaining our ability to continue to deliver cutting edge technologies which protect national security. We’ve worked hard to adapt our application and training processes to allow education to continue, whilst protecting the health and wellbeing of our employees and new recruits.”

Recent research from the Resolution Foundation found that those born in the late 1990s are expected to be hardest hit by the current crisis. Over the last few weeks, BAE Systems early careers teams have developed new ways to enable candidates – most of whom are aged between 16-19 to be interviewed safely and remotely.

The successful applicants will begin their careers on one of more than 25 apprenticeship training programmes in BAE’s Air, Maritime and Electronic Systems divisions, with the majority joining from September to January.

Rt Hon Gavin Williamson CBE MP, Secretary of State for Education, said:

“It is brilliant to see BAE Systems’ continued support for apprenticeships, recognising the hard work, skills and value that apprentices bring to a world-leading British company.
“BAE Systems’ recruitment of 800 apprentices is yet more evidence that apprenticeships are an excellent choice for young people and shows that they are an excellent route into a wide range of high-quality and exciting careers. I am certain that apprenticeships will play a vital role in our economic recovery from coronavirus.

“I’d like to wish all of those who applied the best of luck and to thank BAE Systems for their ongoing commitment to invest in their next generation of highly skilled staff.”

According to BAE Systems, those who make it through the selection process could find themselves working on some of the UK’s most exciting and nationally important programmes. Apprentices play a role in developing future combat air technologies for the Tempest programme in Warton, Lancashire, as well as in the design and build of Dreadnought submarines in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, and Type 26 frigates in Glasgow. Applicants could also find themselves working alongside the Armed Forces at RAF Coningsby or Portsmouth Naval Base.

More than 70% of new BAE apprenticeships are based in the North of England. Since 2016, BAE have invested more than £40 million in two state of the art Academies for Skills & Knowledge at Samlesbury, Lancashire, and Barrow-in-Furness to train and develop employees, including apprentices.

BAE Apprentices train in a number of disciplines including engineering, manufacturing, project management, finance, business administration and IT – representing a diverse and rigorous training programme. Approximately 95% successfully complete their training and BAE Systems apprentices have a strong track record of enjoying long careers with good progression in the Company.

Throughout lockdown, the BAE Systems early careers teams have supported more than 1,500 apprentices providing them with a virtual learning environment to continue their training. A new remote approach to end point assessments will ensure apprentices can complete their training and transition to their first permanent roles within the Company.

In addition, BAE Systems have recently introduced a new graduate programme, with multiple intakes through the year. Applications have remained open throughout this period and we are committed to our plan to recruit approximately 250 graduates between September this year and June 2021. We are also offering more than 60 one-year industrial placements, with successful candidates joining in September.
For more information about early careers opportunities with BAE Systems, visit: https://baesystems.com/earlycareers 

The Health and Social Care sector is one of the most important in the world right now, and the NHS is one of the world’s largest employers and the biggest in Europe. Along with many partners in the community, it is supporting a vulnerable population in this global pandemic.

For ten years, the Prince’s Trust has been building relationships with Health and Social Care providers to support young people (aged 16-30) into Health and Social Care jobs. In particular, the Trust specialises at recruiting for entry-level roles that do not require academic qualifications and can lead to multiple career opportunities.

The Prince’s Trust is proud to be partnering with the Department of Health and Social Care to help young people get into Health and Social Care. They currently offer two courses and mentoring support: ‘Get started’ and ‘Get into’.

Currently Prince’s Trust ‘Get Started’ course is being run online to support government guidelines about staying home where possible, and the ‘Get into’ course is on hold until government restrictions have been lifted.

Get Started – Virtual ‘GET HIRED’ training 

The Get Started – Virtual ‘GET HIRED’ training is a 2-3 day course, designed for those who feel ready to start working now. You’ll learn about the Health and Social Care sector including the types of roles available and career options.

Young people will also be helped with job interview preparation by being given guidance for online interviews and find out the most common interview questions for the sector.  Finally, Prince’s Trust will help set up interviews with employers who have live vacancies so you’re ready to go!

Prince’s Trust offer mentoring to everyone on both of the Health and Social Care courses, and for anyone who works in the sector (aged 16-30).  Mentoring is run by volunteers who are there to listen and problem-solve with you. When you sign up, you’ll be matched to an online professional mentor who will support you as you prepare for and start employment.

The Health and Social Care sector consists of any organisation which provides healthcare support to people, for example, hospitals, dentists, and specialist support like physiotherapy, and social care support, for example, nursing homes, foster caring, and nurseries. In short, it includes any organisation or service which helps people live more independent, healthier lives.

Skills you’ll come away with:

• Knowledge about the Health and Social Care sector
• Knowledge about the roles available in the Health and Social Care sector
• The ability to write a strong CV
• Online interview skills
• Increased confidence

What do young people say about the experience? 

“I enjoyed the fact I meet some really nice people who are on the same path as me. I enjoyed the interviews and all the help that was provided to prepare us for it. The staff are really amazing, supportive and went above and beyond to accommodate.”

“I have enjoyed everything especially the follow up from staffs…Rosie my mentor has been fantastic with helping me. The staffs that were helping us get through our workshop and exercises were great too.”

To apply click HERE

Contact:  HealthandCare@princes-trust.org.uk

For more info see HERE

 

As part of Accenture’s continued commitment to supporting Movement to Work and UK young people, they ran their first-ever virtual work experience programme in the UK – the Virtual Tech Taster in May 2020.  15 young unemployed people were brought together with 9 faculty members, 5 team mentors and 9 apprentice buddies. Together they embarked on a week of Design Thinking workshops, coding, mock interviews, teamwork, employability, resilience, virtual team presentations and more using a range of innovative tools.

As a continuation of this project, this week we are delighted to announce the release of the Movement To Work Virtual WEx toolkit. This free toolkit provides guidance on creating a virtual Movement To Work programme. This includes the information, best practice and tools to support MTW partners to kickstart their planning and consider what a virtual programme could look like. It explores possible tools, techniques and ideas as well as identifying key considerations to take into account when creating a virtual programme. We hope this will be a fantastic resource for the MtW community to use as they continue to explore the virtual work experience world.

In May, Movement to Work launched its COVID-19 response campaign and promotes three initiatives to ensure we can all ‘Emerge Stronger’ following the challenges posed by Covid-19. These are: Young People First, Be accessible, Go digital, and Support and Empower.  These latest collaborations with Accenture have been shining examples of how we can continue to offer great opportunities to young people even during these trying times.

COVID-19 has forced most businesses to rapidly review BAU, turning to digital solutions to enable remote working and provide new products and services. MtW urges organisations to find creative ways to continue training, development and work experience for young people online. MtW can offer advice and best practice on how to make this transition, including sharing tools that are already out there and initiatives to support accessibility. As part of this effort to continue to support and inspire our network, we hope the Movement To Work Virtual WEX toolkit will be a great place to start when you begin to think about virtual  offerings.

We must help young people to feel a part of society by giving them new opportunities to improve their prospects, putting money in their pockets, and enabling a new wave of active consumers with bright futures ahead of them.

Download your FREE copy of the Moveement To Work Virtual WEx toolkit HERE

Huge thank you to the team at Accenture for their continued support!

#YoungPeopleWork

 

 

 

Registered charity retailTRUST has been working in partnership with Qube Learning and together they have created seven brand new work-ready videos to support you into your next role.

COVID-19 has presented many of us with unprecedented challenges. As lockdown restrictions ease, it is unlikely that life will return to the ‘normal’ we knew. While society and the retail community look at new ways of working, for some people this could result in uncertainty about their jobs.

Resources to help you look for a new role:

retailTRUST offers a wide range of guidance and tools to support retail colleagues, young people and their families. Some of the resources available include professional tips on getting the most out of your CV and preparing for an interview.

• Google job search. When searching for a new position, you are faced with a huge selection of job search websites. Learn how you can make the most of Google to help you find your next role. 
• Guidance for writing a covering letter. This important document tells an employer why you’re the right candidate for the job. Find out how to structure the letter and what it should include.
• Get the most out your CV. Do you have a CV and is it relevant? Here are some do’s and don’ts to ensure your CV helps you find your next position.
• Researching a company online. The golden rule for a successful interview is making sure you research the organisation in advance. Find out how research can help improve your chances of securing a role.
• Preparing for your digital interview. As we have less face-to-face contact at the moment, and with the general increased use of video calling, here are some great tips on how to prepare for your online interview.
• Using Microsoft Teams for video interviews. You may be asked to use a video conferencing platform for your job interview. Learn how to prepare for a virtual interview using Microsoft Teams.
• Your digital footprint. More and more often, employers carry out social screening before offering you a job. Here are a few tips to make sure your digital footprint is the best it can be.

Financial support

If you are experiencing financial difficulties, retailTRUST provides non-repayable grants to support you during this difficult time. 

Click here for more details and to apply for a grant. 

The free and confidential retailTRUST helpline is also available 24 hours a day to support everyone involved with retail. You can contact the dedicated and friendly team on 0808 801 0808 or by emailing helpline@retailtrust.org.uk.

You can also have a look at the charities previous blog post here.

On Thursday 25th June at 11 am the British Army are hosting a Virtual Open Event, where you can meet a serving soldier, ask as many questions as you like and find out what it’s like to be in the British Army. You will be joined by Colour Sergeant Stuart Collins, who will talk about what life is like in the Infantry, give an overview of his career to date and talk through all of the job opportunities that the Army has to offer.

There will also be an opportunity to hear about the Army’s future plans for a work experience programme. 

There is no need to register for this event, just click on the link below just before 11 am on the 25th.  

The event can be accessed via any tech platform, including PC, iPad and Smartphone.

https://meet36301315.adobeconnect.com/rdfoi3rmgkxv/

With a career in the army, you’ll learn new skills, gain industry leading qualifications, see extraordinary corners of the world and make friends for life.  It’s all about the challenge, adventure and breaking barriers.  With hundreds of different roles to choose from it’s a place where you can set your own course to success.  

Join online on the 25th June to find out more.

As many organisations have reduced their workforces in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, others couldn’t fill roles fast enough. To help get people back to work, Chief Human Resources Officers from Accenture, Lincoln Financial Group, ServiceNow and Verizon worked together to create People + Work Connect.  This global initiative brings organisations together to find new ways to keep people employed throughout the pandemic by better matching demand and supply using the power of analytics.

To find out how your organisation can benefit, contact peopleworkconnect@accenture.com or go to www.accenture.com/peopleworkconnect 

As part of Accenture’s commitment to Movement to Work, they ran their first-ever virtual work experience programme in the UK – Virtual Tech Taster 2020! 15 young unemployed people were brought together with 9 faculty members, 5 team mentors and 9 apprentice buddies. Together they embarked on a week of Design Thinking workshops, coding, mock interviews, teamwork, employability, resilience, virtual team presentations and more using a range of innovative tools.

The current unprecedented situation accelerated the need to create virtual work experience programmes so that young people can continue to benefit from skilling and mentoring remotely and do not fall further behind. By virtualising the programmes, we can also help more young people living in remote regions access these high-quality programmes and help to kick start their careers.

After only 5 weeks of preparation, the Virtual Tech Taster was run between the 18th-22nd May 2020. The programme itself was designed and organised at pace to ensure that the candidates could participate in the assessment centres for the September 2020 intake of Accenture’s Technology Degree apprenticeships in Newcastle and Edinburgh. Candidates based in these locations have now been invited to attend these assessment centres.

15 young unemployed people joined from the surrounding areas of three of our office locations – London, Newcastle and Edinburgh. The programme was delivered via MS Teams and the curriculum was designed as short daily sessions to ensure that they were manageable and digestible virtually. These sessions were split between facilitated and independent sessions to keep the week varied and engaging. To ensure that the programme was digitally inclusive, Accenture provided the participants with a laptop, WIFI dongle and headset for the week and provided technology set-up guidance in advance of the programme itself.

Sessions included: coding, creative problem-solving using design thinking, presentation skills and putting those to the test with final team presentations, a virtual tour of the Accenture’s London Innovation Centre as well as employability information and support with CVs and interviews. The participants were supported through the programme by a wide network of people including the programme faculty, mentors and Accenture apprentice buddies.

In design and development of the programme, the Accenture team spent time exploring different options for virtual programmes, researching software/hardware and conducting user research. The curriculum and delivery mechanisms were designed and tested to ensure an innovative programme that could be delivered effectively through a virtual format. The success of the programme is exemplified by 100% of participants both completing the programme and saying that they would recommend it!

Quotes from participants include:

“…to be a part of it, even for just one virtual week feels amazing.…you have made it work so well…I know future participants for this scheme will definitely enjoy it!… this journey has been super insightful and self-reflective.”

“It was amazing to be part of Accenture’s very first Virtual Tech Taster Event! I was able to learn Python and JavaScript, 2 languages I’ve been keen on learning. Not only did I gain valuable technical knowledge and skills, but I was also able to polish up my soft skills! From CV tips to an excellent talk from Amit Rawal about building resilience and confidence, which I have struggled with.”

“Thank you so much for such a valuable and insightful week. It was such a pleasure to be a part of!”

The Accenture team have also been sharing their experience with other Movement to Work employers throughout the journey and are now collating insights and a framework of best practice that will be shared with other employers and charity partners to use to design their own virtual programmes. We are excited to see future virtual work experience programmes delivered at Accenture and beyond.

Relevant contact details: To find out more contact sarah.k.patton@accenture.com