Business / Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships

All organisations from time to time need to replace or acquire assets, this is also true of human assets and whether it is replacing staff or adding new employees to the workforce organisations need to manage this in a planned way. NRC is an award winning provider of vocational education training in the region with training courses delivered to the highest standards by highly qualified and skilled staff. For several years our apprentices have taken part in Regional, National and International Skills Competitions. The key benefits of having NRC as your Strategic Training Partner are that we can:

• Provide a source of enthusiastic and talented young people
• Offer you the opportunity to train a young person to your business needs
• Help you plan for the future
• Increased productivity and improved competitiveness
• Address your Skills gap
• Motivate your workforce

ApprenticeshipNI

NRC is committed to ‘All Age’ Apprenticeships - (Applicants aged 16+) for those participants, in paid employment from Day One, who join the ApprenticeshipsNI programme, as funded by the Department for Employment and Learning.

ApprenticeshipsNI combine work-based skills and theoretical learning, while focusing on the job as a whole. They allow the employee to acquire and apply the skills, knowledge and understanding required by employers in specific vocational areas through Day release at College and practical work based activities.

Getting paid while you learn might sound too good to be true — but as an apprentice you really do get the best of both worlds. So if you are keen to enter the world of work but don’t want to stop studying, then ApprenticeshipsNI could be the answer. They enable you to start working, earn a decent wage, all whilst learning the skills and gaining the qualifications which employers want.

Key Features of ApprenticeshipsNI

ApprenticeshipsNI, as funded by the Department for Employment and Learning,

1. Are open to all people, in permanent remunerative employment (a minimum of 21 contracted hours per week with one employer, including day release) from day one who have reached the minimum school leaving age, and who meet the entry requirements set out by the sector;
2. Take between two to four years to complete although, unlike traditional apprenticeships, are not time-served i.e Never formally trained or accredited with a qualification;
3. Are a series of planned on- and off-the-job training and development activities;
4. Lead to an externally accredited Vocational Competence Qualification (VCQ) at Level 2/3.
5. Lead to a Vocational Related Qualification (VRQ), where appropriate to the Apprenticeship Framework in question.
6. Build upon the basic general competences such as Essential Skills, in Application of Number, Communication and ICT, the latter, where appropriate to the Apprenticeship Framework;
7. Are industry-driven and designed to be relevant to the needs of each occupational sector; and
8. Enable apprentices to acquire high level technical, administrative and first line management skills.
9. There are in excess of 100 apprenticeship frameworks designed to meet the needs of Northern Ireland business.
10. The Department for Employment and Learning pay full costs of directed training for the duration of the apprenticeship.
11. Employer incentives are available from £250 to £1,500.  The Employer is also entitled to a financial incentive if the Apprentice successfully achieves the Apprenticeship at Level 2 and/or Level 3 within the stipulated timeframe.   
12. There are over 10,000 apprentices in training in Northern Ireland.

What Apprenticeships do we currently offer?

At NRC we offer ApprenticeshipsNI frameworks in the following areas:

• Brickwork
• Carpentry and Joinery (Bench)
• Carpentry and Joinery (Site)
• Electrical Installation
• Engineering
• Heavy Vehicle
• Motor Vehicle
• Plastering
• Plumbing

Training for Success

Training for Success is designed for young people without full-time employment. The programme aims to equip the young person with the necessary job ready skills and confidence to find work. Trainees are paid an Educational Maintenance Allowance of £40 per week by the College.  Travel, lodging and childcare allowances may be paid depending on individual circumstances.  Once the young person gains recognised basic skills and qualifications then they are ready to move into the next level of training perhaps into an Apprenticeship and paid a wage from Day One.  Within Training for Success there are 2 very distinct strands – Skills for Work at Level 1 and Training for Success at Level 2.  As an Employer you can provide work placements for up to 2-3 days per week and provide young people with the opportunity to develop the relevant skills required to meet your business needs in collaboration with the College. 

In order to participate in this exciting opportunity you will need to have the relevant insurance cover of £5 million Employers’ Liability and £1 million Public Liability insurance and also satisfy our Health and Safety requirements.   The success of Northern Ireland’s economy depends on it having a motivated and skilled workforce. By engaging your existing workforce or a young person through ApprenticeshipsNI or Training for Success programmes you can play your part in achieving this goal while helping them to progress and maximise their potential.  No matter what size your business, you will be investing in its future and your workforce. You can play your part by employing an Apprentice, providing work experience or job sampling in your particular business area.

Employers

No matter how big or small your organisation you know how hard it can be to find employees with the right skills and motivation. If you are an employer you can recruit apprentices or offer existing staff the opportunity to take up an apprenticeship with the Northern Regional College.

Work Placements – An exciting opportunity for employers and students!

This is an exciting opportunity for employers and students to gain something valuable and improve the bottom line for your SME or micro business at no extra cost. If you are able to offer a work placement to one of our students following a vocational qualification in Brickwork, Plastering, Carpentry and Joinery, Engineering, Motor Vehicle, Plumbing or Electrical Installation or if you would be interested in discussing this further we would be glad to hear from you.

If you take on an apprentice you can be sure that with NRC support and expertise your apprentice will develop the skills you need and make a real contribution to your business.

Other benefits of work placements to employers include:

• Help to encourage enthusiastic individuals into your industry. Research shows that young people and adults are strongly influenced by work based experiences.
• Give you an opportunity to find good staff without incurring a financial risk.
• Give employers the opportunity to raise the skill level of young people and adults, contributing to their current education and improving their future employability.
• Help to raise the profile of your industry within the local community and demonstrate that you are a caring employer.
• Can be of benefit to your existing employees, giving staff the chance to develop their skills in supervisory, support and training roles.
• Offer you the opportunity to get involved in shaping the workforce of the future.
• Motivated Staff.
• Higher Productivity.
• Reduced Costs.
• Increased Employee Satisfaction.
• Increased Competitiveness.
• Improved Quality of Work.
• Higher Staff Retention.
• Stronger Career Progression.

Interested in employing an apprentice or offering a work placement or becoming an apprentice?

You can discover more in 3 easy ways:

• Browse the College’s Training Guide for a full range of apprenticeship programmes http://www.nrc.ac.uk/downloadzone/
• Call The Training Manager on 028 2563 6238
• Email: sean.mcaleese@nrc.ac.uk

For more information on ApprenticeshipsNI please visit:
www.nidirect.gov.uk/apprenticeshipsni