NLAO Active Inclusion of Young People 15 November

NLAO – Active Inclusion of Young People 15 November 2010 Birmingham Apprenticeship Scheme (BAS) Graham Edwards, WNF Strategy & Implementation Manager Janet Chisholm, BAS Project Manager

The project addresses Birmingham’s strategic priority: • “Preventing young people becoming the long term unemployed of the future”

Birmingham Background: • Young people 16 - 18 Not in Employment, Education or Training (NEETs): • 2005 – 14. 3% • 2009 – 7. 7% • However, in areas of deprivation currently ranges from 13. 5% - 25% • Not available for the labour market – 14. 7% • 18 -24’s unemployed – 13, 380 – 21. 6% of the working age population

3 Main NEET Categories Ø Open to learning, positive experience of school, optimistic about the future (41%) Ø Undecided about education and training, no significant barriers, dissatisfied with opportunities available to them (22%) Ø Sustained for 6 months+, negative experience at school, left with few or no qualifications, likely to have unemployed family members, barriers to entering learning (38%)

Being NEET is Costly: • Long term effects of being NEET on young men: • 4 x more likely to be out of work (cost of benefits and loss of tax revenue) • 5 x more likely to have a criminal record (cost to the criminal justice system) • 6 x less likely to have qualifications (lower potential earnings and loss of tax revenue) • 3 x more likely to have depression (cost to the National Health Service)

Important to note: • 75% of young people nationally never experience not being in employment, education or training

BAS Project Summary • Aims: • To increase both the range of sectors and the range of employers, primarily SME’s, engaging with apprenticeships • To increase Birmingham’s competitiveness and productivity through up skilling • 150 Apprenticeships for young people from deprived areas • 16 – 24 year old target group

Achievements to date: • 119 - Obtaining a job and starting an apprenticeship • 93% – retention rate (8 left before their mentor was in place) • 9 due to start during November • 100 Workplace job mentor/coaches in training • 80 employers engaged

Apprenticeships being delivered: • • Engineering Production Hospitality and Catering Customer Services Advice and Guidance Teaching Assistant Information Technology Health and Social Care • • Sport and Leisure Accounting Sports Coaching Plumbing Construction Business Administration Butchery Childcare

The Project requires that: • Employers sign a contract with BCC to employ the apprentice for 2 years • The employer defines an appropriate staff member as job mentor/coach to participate in a programme over a 6 month period • The mentoring is focused on the Employability Essentials to provide the apprentice with a good start in their working life • The apprentice participates in a full apprenticeship to receive a nationally recognised qualification

Employability Essentials – are caught not taught Motivation Selfconfidence Self reliance Positive mental attitude

In return the project provides: • Wage subsidy up to 1 year at minimum wage for 30 – 40 hours per week • Apprentices with some specialist equipment they require to do their job • Mentoring and Coaching training for the in-company employee to support the apprentice • Enhanced employability essentials for the young pers

Mentoring and Coaching Programme • Aligned to National Occupational Standards • Workshops – 1 full day + 4 x ½ days over 6 months – Practical – Workbased – Set in context – Experiential – Supported with a toolkit and logbooks

Essential Skills for Coach/Mentors Rapport and trust Asking insightful questions Active listening encourage action Providing feedback

The job mentor/coach must have: Ø the ability to act as a positive role model, demonstrating the Employability Essentials in the workplace Ø the ability to promote discovery for the apprentice

Thank you Q&A