Growing Opportunities for Apprenticeships Locally
Showcasing apprenticeships and facilitating engagement with local businesses to be able to provide more apprenticeship opportunities

What is GOAL?

SGS College is delighted to have the opportunity to lead a regional partnership within Gloucestershire tasked with showcasing apprenticeships to local SMEs, whilst also facilitating engagement with these businesses so they provide more apprenticeship opportunities at all levels including Higher Level Apprenticeships.

Over the next year the College together with its partners, Gloucestershire Enterprise Limited, University of Gloucestershire including the Gloucestershire Growth Hub and Gloucestershire College, will encourage more SMEs, those employers with 250 or less employees, to provide apprenticeships by:

Providing an impartial service to both learners and employers, raising awareness of apprenticeships, thus helping them to access support from both the National Apprenticeship and Digital Apprenticeship Services.
Mapping apprenticeship provision within Gloucestershire, identifying gaps and supporting the development of provision to meet these needs – making it easier for businesses to know who offers what.
Providing advice and guidance to individuals seeking apprenticeships.
Engaging with 1050 SMEs in Gloucestershire to identify how apprenticeships can support current business plans, as well as enabling future growth and sustainability.
Helping 1000 participants’ access apprenticeships opportunities in local SMEs. These will be employees of the SME or people recently made redundant and who are seeking Higher Level Apprenticeships
Providing learning to participants to overcome any barriers to starting an apprenticeship. Supporting 980 participants to start an apprenticeship; continuing to support these apprentices during the first three months of their programme.

If you are a SME and would like to be more involved in apprenticeships and this project

Get involved today

Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships benefit employers and individuals and by boosting the skills of the workforce they help to improve economic productivity. An apprenticeship is a real job with training. It is a way for individuals to earn while they learn gaining valuable skills and knowledge in a specific job role. Most of the training is on-the –job, working with a mentor to learn job specific skills in the workplace. Off-the job training will depend on the occupational area. Apprenticeships are a productive and effective way for businesses to grow their own talent by developing a motivated, skilled and qualified workforce.

Apprenticeships combine practical training in a job with study with the apprentice:

working alongside experienced staff
gaining job-specific skills
receiving time for study related to their future role

Apprencieships reflect the skills and experience needed for job role or an occupation in a particular sector and relate to equivalent educational levels, that is:

Intermediate Level 2 (GCSE)
Advanced Level 3 (A level)
Higher and Degree Level Levels 4, 5, 6 and 7 (Foundation, Bachelor and Master degrees)

Courses Available

Programmes for SMEs

The GOAL (Growing Opportunities for Apprenticeships Locally) Partnership is tasked with supporting SMEs within Gloucestershire to consider providing more apprenticeship opportunities for their staff.

To support employees embarking on an apprenticeship, a programme of short courses has been arranged and will be delivered at Gloucestershire Enterprise Limited, Unit 3 Twigworth Court Tewkesbury Road, Gloucester GL2 9PG.

Whilst this programme for GOAL learners will be free, reasonable fees will be charged should businesses wish to enrol other employees.

Express your interest today using the form below

Regulated

Entry Level 3 Maths – 4 half days
Understanding information given by numbers, symbols, diagrams and charts for different purposes expressed in graphic, numerical and written forms in different ways. This includes:

dividing two digits by one digit and understanding remainders
comparing weights using standard units.

Entry Level 3 English – 4 half days
Respond appropriately to others and make some extended contributions in familiar formal and informal discussions and exchanges.
Read and understand the purpose and content of straightforward texts that explain, inform and recount information.
Write texts with some adaptation to the intended audience.

Level 1 Maths – Length of delivery time tailored to need*
Understanding straightforward mathematical information used for different purposes and being able to independently select relevant information expressed in graphic, numerical and written forms. This includes:

doing simple percentages
converting units of measure

Level 1 English – Length of delivery time tailored to need*
Take full part in formal and informal discussions and exchanges that include unfamiliar subjects.
Read and understand a range of straightforward texts.
Write a range of texts to communicate information, ideas and opinions, using formats and styles suitable for their purpose and audience.

*Delivery time for both Level 1 in Maths and English will be assessed and agreed prior to delivery for each individual.

Character Development – 1 ½ days (£210)
How do you present yourself in the workplace? Character Development is a great way of exploring your own character and reflecting on your different personality traits by looking at key factors such as personal presentation and the importance of resilience and grit. The qualification aims to identify positive characteristics which can be useful in a working environment, as well as identifying areas in which we can improve our character and get the best from ourselves. It allows us to think about how we present ourselves and the impact of this on others around us, in addition to this it teaches us how to be stronger versions of ourselves and bounce back from difficult situations.

Confident Communication – 1 ½ days (£210)
This workshop focuses on Interpersonal skills and how we interact with others through the use of verbal and non-verbal communication. The qualification aims to identify various communication styles and explores which are the most effective in a working environment. Interpersonal skills highlights the importance of values and beliefs by questioning what is important to us in life, and then how this impacts on individual behaviours. It also challenges what acceptable behaviour is in the workplace and teaches us how to embrace assertive behaviour with others. The qualification is a good chance to practice appropriate communication techniques and learn how to apply the correct style in different working environments.

Managing Change – 1 ½ days (£210)
The qualification explores and embraces the possibilities of change within the workplace. It focuses on moving from one situation to another seamlessly, such as transitioning from an entry level role to a managerial role. Managing Change looks at the different areas of the workplace and how we can adapt to various departments. The qualification will help you identify important staff members, key facilities, the impact of planned and unplanned change, as well as reflecting on your own strengths and weaknesses and identifying personal goals.

Non-Regulated

Team Building – Half day (£50) / Full day (£90)
Staff can use this course to test teamwork, improve communication, re-motivate existing staff members and integrate new members into the team.

Conflict Resolution – Half day (£50)
This course enables you to differentiate between a problem and a conflict. It allows you to identify what a conflict is and explore possible solutions, looking at how you deal with a conflict and adapt.

Importance of CPD – Half day (£50)
Well-crafted and delivered continuing professional development is important because it delivers benefits to the individual, their profession and the public. CPD ensures your capabilities keep pace with the current standards of others in the same field.

Working with colleagues – Half day (£50)
What different departments are in an organisation, how they differ from your department, difference in priorities, annual leave, health & Safety etc.

Mental Health & Well-being – Half day (£50)
Awareness of mental health and well-being for employees, looking at coping strategies, spotting early signs and having a good work-life balance.

Coping with Change & Interacting with Others – Half day (£50)
Identify changes that have happened in your lives, discover different coping techniques and which one applies best to us. How we communicate, negotiate and interact with others through a team exercise/activity.

News

Education, education, education was the buzz phrase many years ago, but to ensure confidence in apprenticeships remains high in light of the levy and declining sign ups, collaboration, collaboration, collaboration is the new mantra of four Gloucestershire institutions.

Skills Minister Anne Milton and Institute of Apprenticeship Director Gerry Berragan recently made public an open letter urging education institutions to support employers in making use of the apprenticeships. SGS College together with its partners, Gloucestershire Enterprise Limited, University of Gloucestershire and Gloucestershire College, are already working together to encourage local Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to provide apprenticeships within their business.

As part of the Growing Opportunities for Apprenticeships Locally (GOAL) European Social Funded (ESF) project, partner institutions are actively providing an impartial service to both learners and employers within Gloucestershire, raising awareness of apprenticeships, whilst helping SMEs access support from both the National Apprenticeship and Digital Apprenticeship Services.

Mapping of apprenticeship provision within Gloucestershire has also taken place with GOAL identifying gaps and supporting the development of provision to meet these needs – making it easier for businesses to know who offers what.

Additionally, the GOAL project team are giving advice and guidance to individuals seeking apprenticeships as well as providing learning to participants to overcome any barriers to starting an apprenticeship.

“With the continued confusion and negative press surrounding apprenticeships, collaboration between providers is key to increasing business confidence. The primary aim of the GOAL project is to help SMEs understand the value of apprenticeships, and to guide them through the process whilst supporting potential apprentices. Ultimately, we want make it as straightforward as possible for SMEs in Gloucestershire to engage an apprentice and to help prepare candidates to take up an apprenticeship when one becomes available”.

GOAL Project partners comments.

If you are one of the many businesses still confused by apprenticeships, asking, why should I take on an apprentice, there is a simple answer.

Apprenticeships will benefit your company by boosting the skills of your workforce and helping to improve your economic productivity. Apprenticeships are real jobs with training, which enable staff to gain valuable skills and knowledge in a specific job role, and earn while they learn. Most of the training is on-the-job, working with a mentor to learn job specific skills in the workplace; off-the job training will depend on the occupational area.

Apprenticeships are a productive and effective way for your business to grow their own talent by developing a motivated, skilled and qualified workforce.

To get involved in the GOAL project and access this free support, please email jill.jones@sgscol.ac.uk, dawn.morgan@gloscol.ac.uk, michaela.cozens@glosenterprise.co.uk or jminns1@glos.ac.uk.