work – Page 6 – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

Two in 3 agree: An Apprenticeship is as good as a Degree

New research launched in line with National Apprenticeship Week (8-14 February) has revealed that more than two-thirds (67 per cent) of respondents agreed* that an apprenticeship is as valuable, and provides a young person with equal future prospects, as a university degree.

This finding highlights a significant improvement in the perceptions of apprenticeships and solidifies the Government’s strategy in achieving greater parity between further education (FE) and higher education.

The research, commissioned by independent training provider, Babington, showed a significant improvement in the perceived value of apprenticeships in comparison to previous years; a 2016 report found that only 24 per cent of young people believed an apprenticeship could give them a better chance of getting a good job than going to university.

This is a positive step towards understanding the value that apprenticeships provide not only for individuals, but for employers and the economy. This is especially true in light of the current pandemic, in which FE will play a significant role in building a skilled workforce to safeguard our economic recovery and long-term growth.

However, there remains a challenge and a lack of confidence in how this translates to employment opportunities, particularly when it comes to recruitment. The research also uncovered that 43 per cent of 16-24-year-olds agree* that an employer would favour a university degree over an apprenticeship.

These findings suggest that while perceptions are improving within society, and positivity surrounding apprenticeships is growing, the Government and employers must work in tandem to develop recruitment practices which expel any bias towards university degrees. This collaboration will better empower learners to build skills through their apprenticeships and secure employment that will support long-term career development.

David Marsh, CEO of Babington, said: “It is clear that the efforts of all of those within the further education (FE) sector are paying off and the Government’s strategy in encouraging apprenticeships is working.

“However, what we’re now seeing is a disconnect with employer recruitment which could have an impact on those individuals considering an apprenticeship and how it might affect their long-term career prospects.

“Therefore, we now need to focus on supporting a much wider cultural shift amongst employers and recruitment teams to ensure the parity of apprenticeships is considered at every level.

“After all, if we are to effectively embed an employer-centric skills system then we need to continue working on changing behaviours and practices and recognise the multitude of benefits and skills which apprentices can offer.”

Tracy Fairhurst, Head of Apprenticeships, Royal Mail said: “We value apprenticeships at all levels as a hugely beneficial tool to develop talent within our organisation. There are a wide range of Higher and Degree Apprenticeships available to support career development and provide a true earn while you learn opportunity as an alternative to the traditional fulltime study at university.

“There are tangible benefits for both employer and apprentice – the apprentice gets to know the business and the sector in depth and can see the visible impact of applying learning. For the employer, there are commercial and bottom-line benefits from synoptic projects and fresh thinking.

“I would encourage any employer to think widely about options to fill a role to make sure you get the best return on your people investment and apprenticeships are often the obvious choice. We intend to do far more about achieving a more balanced approach to accessing talent pools based on the very positive results we are seeing so far.”

Ann Bridges, L&D Manager at M&S said: “Our apprenticeship programmes are a vital part of our recruitment and talent strategy. For apprentices, they offer the perfect foundations to kickstart a career in retail; while for M&S, they serve to strengthen our skills & talent pipeline.

“Alongside partner Babington, in November we launched retail’s first level three data technician apprenticeship, which teaches M&S colleagues the fundamentals of how to manipulate and scrutinise data, and translate it into valuable insights that the business can act upon.

“Programmes such as this are a key way we’ll continue to grow our digital & data capabilities and accelerate our transformation to become a digital first retailer.”

Edinburgh Amazon apprentice encourages others to join

Recruitment has started for 25 different apprenticeship schemes ranging from engineering to broadcast production, creative digital design to health, safety and environment technician

Roles include 100 degree-level apprenticeships and more than 500 apprenticeships for Amazon employees, providing an opportunity to retrain and gain new skills

Pay starts at a minimum of £10.80 p/h in the London area and £9.70 p/h in other parts of the UK up to £30,000 a year for degree-level apprenticeships

Amazon created 10,000 new permanent UK jobs in 2020, and now employs more than 40,000 people across the country

Amazon has announced it has started recruiting for over 1,000 full-time apprenticeships in the UK in 2021, covering 25 different programmes ranging from IT, safety technician and HR through to software engineering and creative digital design.

The roles which pay minimum of £10.80 p/h in the London area and £9.70 p/h in other parts of the UK up to £30,000 a year for degree-level apprenticeships include 100 degree-level apprenticeships in automation engineering, project management, software development and chartered management.

Over 500 new apprenticeships will be offered to Amazon’s existing workforce, providing opportunities to retrain and gain new skills leading to an exciting new career path. Apprenticeships exclusively for Amazon employees range from a team leader through to a coaching practitioner.

In addition to being fully-funded, apprentices also receive a comprehensive benefits package, including private medical insurance, life assurance, income protection, subsidised meals and an employee discount – which combined are worth more than £700 annually – as well as a company pension plan.

Apprentice programmes last between 14 months and four years and a typical apprenticeship combines theoretical learning with hands-on training, enabling participants to obtain qualifications and degrees and earn money in the process.

Once qualified, apprentices will have the potential to work across Amazon’s UK sites including fulfilment centres, delivery stations, sortation centres and the company’s UK head offices in London and Manchester and the three development centres in Edinburgh, Cambridge and London.

The 1,000 apprenticeships add to Amazon’s continued commitment to creating jobs and opportunities to learn new skills across the UK. Amazon created 10,000 new permanent jobs in the UK in 2020 alone, and employs more than 40,000 people in some of the most advanced workplaces of their kind in the world with competitive pay, processes and systems to ensure the wellbeing and safety of all employees.

Minister for Apprenticeships and Skills Gillian Keegan, said: “It’s fantastic to see Amazon continuing to invest in apprentices. These apprenticeships cover a range of exciting roles from broadcast production to engineering, showcasing the huge variety of opportunities available to young people looking to build a great career.

“I know first-hand the life changing opportunities an apprenticeship can bring. I wish all those who apply the best of luck and thank Amazon for their ongoing commitment to building skills and talent both for today and in the future.”

“We are proud to be creating new opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds across the UK to gain skills through our apprenticeship programmes in 25 different fields, from logistics to robotics,” said, John Boumphrey, UK Country Manager, Amazon.

“An Amazon apprenticeship offers an exciting career path, creating opportunities within our local communities across the UK and helping our own employees retrain and gain new skills at a time when investing in people and jobs has never been more important.”

Hal Stanfield (25), IT apprentice based in the Networking and Project Management team at the Amazon Development Centre in Edinburgh.

Born and raised in Edinburgh, Hal left school and joined Amazon’s customer service scheme. Through the Amazon Career Choice Programme, Hal was able to develop his burgeoning interest in IT and embarked on a part-time college course in computing with on-the-job training through the IT apprenticeship.

Hal said: “I wouldn’t have been able to do it otherwise, and Amazon made it really convenient to re-train myself. It’s been great for my confidence, I’m now so much more skilled and engaged in my role.

“This apprenticeship has been one of the best work decisions I’ve ever made. In my role I get to talk to people in all areas of the business, and that’s something I really enjoy. There’s also a strong community in the apprenticeship programme that has developed through group activities and chats, despite the pandemic.”

The 1,000 new apprentices will join current apprentices already working at Amazon. The current Amazon apprenticeship schemes have attracted recruits from a range of different backgrounds from a former barista, footballer and photographer, to former military veterans and nurses.

Throughout the last year, people have also joined Amazon from construction, customer services, health care, hospitality and sales industries.

Amazon also offers employees Career Choice, an innovative programme which pre-pays 95% of tuition for courses in high-demand fields, up to £8,000 over four years, regardless of whether the skills are relevant to a career at Amazon.

Amazon provides opportunities to improve existing skills or learn new ones through internal career progression opportunities such as cross-training, transferring to a different department and promotion into a managerial role.

Amazon has invested over £23 billion in the UK since 2010 to provide convenience, selection and value to UK consumers, while supporting tens of thousands of businesses and creative professionals including small businesses selling on Amazon’s online stores, Amazon Web Services developers and Kindle Direct Publishing authors.

Applications are now open for Amazon’s apprenticeship programme. For more information, visit: www.amazonapprenticeships.co.uk

Upskilling and reskilling opportunities for employees with Edinburgh College

More employers across Edinburgh and the Lothians can now tap into funding to provide upskilling and reskilling opportunities for their staff through the Edinburgh College Flexible Workforce Development Fund.

For the first time, the fund will now be available for both levy payers and SMEs, across the private, public and third sectors.

Of this, an extra £4 million will be available to support SMEs through Edinburgh College – opening up new training and upskilling opportunities for SMEs.

Edinburgh College Principal Audrey Cumberford said: “The announcement of this additional money by Scottish Government for the Flexible Workforce Development Fund is welcomed news for the college sector, and for SMEs across our region and the entire country.

“Since the inception of the Flexible Workforce Development Fund, Edinburgh College has delivered first-class bespoke training and upskilling to organisations across a wide range of sectors which has led to incredible results and the establishment of long-term training and other business support partnerships.

“We are delighted that we can now extend this work to small and medium-sized businesses and we look forward to working with some of the most innovative and exciting firms Scotland has to offer, to provide bespoke training programmes to suit their needs, at a time when workforce training and development is crucial as the nation recovers from the current economic downturn.”

Business, Fair Work and Skills Minister Jamie Hepburn said: “Opportunities for training are essential for both employers and employees, and in August we doubled funding for our Flexible Workforce Development Fund to £20 million for 2020/21 to ensure businesses across Scotland can continue to invest in their workforce.

“As this fund adapts and responds to the impacts of the pandemic, we will also see the introduction of additional delivery partners including the Open University in Scotland and private training providers for employers who require more specialist training.

“By strengthening and upskilling the existing workforce, in partnership with colleges, we can retain jobs and support employers as they pivot and adapt to a new and very different working environment as a result of the pandemic.”

Andrew McRae, FSB’s Scotland policy chair, said: “This new funding could help many Scottish smaller businesses, and their staff teams, navigate the current crisis and ensure they’re prepared to take advantage of the recovery when it comes.

“FSB has been making the case to open up this cash pot to local firms, and we’d encourage all sorts of smaller operators to investigate how to access this support to build their business and develop their employees.”

The Flexible Workforce Development Fund helps businesses continue to invest in their workforce, and business support and is available for all of Scotland’s employers who are subject to the UK Government’s Apprenticeship Levy.

In August, the Scottish Government announced immediate investment in jobs to provide the foundations for a strong economic recovery from coronavirus (COVID-19).

As part of this, the fund, which is now in its fourth year, was doubled to £20m for 2020/21.

Find out more about the Flexible Workforce Development Fund on the Edinburgh College website: http://www.edinburghcollege.ac.uk/newsandevents/flexible-workforce-development-fund/

To enquire about the fund, contact our team: enterprise@edinburghcollege.ac.uk.

TUC: government must do more to end inequality 10 years on from Equality Act

The TUC yesterday called on the UK government to implement the Equality Act in full on its tenth anniversary. The Equality Act became law on 1 October 2010.

The union organisation is also challenging ministers to show how they have delivered on the legal duties in the act in their response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

It protects working people from discrimination based on age, sex, disability, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, marriage or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, or gender reassignment. It was also designed to improve the lives of working class people through tackling inequality, but that part of the act, the socio-economic duty, was never brought into force.

The TUC is concerned that ten years since it was introduced, the full powers of the act have still not been implemented. And there is little evidence that the government is fulfilling its legal duty to consider the impact on inequalities in the decisions it makes.

The TUC says that Covid-19 has deepened inequality and discrimination at work, and is calling on the government to:

Bring the socio-economic duty into force: This was included in the original act but never implemented. It would require government and the public sector to deliver better outcomes for lower income people and make narrowing inequality a priority.
Reintroduce protections subsequently taken out: Previous governments have stripped away protections that were originally in the Equality Act – such Section 40, which would make employers liable for harassment of their employees by customers or clients. The union body says that in the current situation where hostility and assaults on retail and hospitality staff are increasing during the pandemic, this should be reinstated urgently.
Publish equality impact assessments for all government policies, as the law requires: in particular, the government should publish every equality impact assessment that they carried out to inform their response to Covid-19 – and should be held to account for those that are missing.

TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “Everyone has the right to respect and equal treatment at work – and in wider society.

“The Equality Act should have been a gamechanger. But ten years on, it still isn’t fully in force. Now is the time for the government to implement it in full.

“The pandemic has shown that the UK is still riven with discrimination.

“Black workers are more likely to be in frontline jobs with inadequate PPE – and more likely to die. Pregnant and disabled workers are too often first in line for redundancy. And the disappearance of much childcare provision has left women struggling to hold on to their jobs.

“Without the protection of Section 40 of the Equality Act, staff have less protection from abuse and harassment. Yet during the pandemic, we have seen a rise in hostility and assaults on shop workers and hospitality staff.

“Britain can be a more equal, more prosperous country. Equality must not be an afterthought for ministers.”

Is going back to the office a good idea?

ISG research reveals workplace preferences depending on personality types

– For 55% of the UK office workers having plenty of natural light is the main workplace priority

– Edinburgh, London, and Birmingham office workers have the highest workplace satisfaction in the UK

To help businesses and employees navigate uncertainty over the future of workplace, ISG paired up with a clinical trainee psychologist to develop a personality test that reveals workplace preferences based on people’s character traits.

As restrictions slowly ease and businesses resume, both employers and employees face the question about the future of workplace. ISG, a global construction specialist, conducted a survey of 5,779 office workers in the UK, Germany, Spain, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Malaysia to better understand the power of workplace prior to the lockdown.

The survey indicated that plenty of natural light (55%), plenty of fresh air (48%) and being able to work from home or outside of the workplace (45%) came on top as the main employee priorities for UK workers.

In terms of the regional split, employees working in Edinburgh tend to have the highest satisfaction about their workplace conditions (63%), followed by London (55%) and Birmingham (53%). However, employees working in Cardiff are least satisfied by their workplace with only 37% confirming so.

Taking into account the research findings, ISG collaborated with Hannah Baker, a trainee clinical psychologist, to discover ways in which employees’ personality traits can be indicators of their preferences for office or remote working.

By using the Big Five personality theory as the foundation, the test outlines ten statements that are based on five main dimensions of an individual’s personality – extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, stress and openness to experience.

Respondents are asked if they agree with the statements and depending on the number of positive responses they are sorted in three workplace personality types available on https://www.isgltd.com/en/campaigns/workplace-personality-types.

Hannah Baker, a trainee clinical psychologist, said: “When considering your workspace, it is important to remember that all people respond to their environments differently.

“It can be helpful to think about where your motivation comes from – some people are motivated internally, while others respond to external factors. Also, understanding how other people impact your work can help.

“Individuals who are more introverted might find thinking independently in a quiet space most helpful. Extroverts, however, might prefer a busy office space, where they can exchange ideas and information with others.”

To find out more about the research and access the workplace personality test, please visit https://www.isgltd.com/en/campaigns/workplace-personality-types.

Join the national conversation about Fair Work

The First Minister’s National Advisory Council on Women and Girls (NACWG) is calling on residents from Edinburgh to get behind the #GenerationEqual movement and share their views and experiences of gender inequality in the workplace.

Inequality in the working environment continues to be an issue. Women and girls still experience challenges with gender barriers and discrimination leaving fewer opportunities for career progression, a greater likelihood of them doing lower paid jobs and a gender pay gap.

Areas the Advisory Council wish to examine include occupational segregation, balancing the inflexibility of work with caring responsibilities, and the undervaluation of women’s work.

The NACWG was established in 2017 to play a leading role in raising the issue of gender inequality on Scotland’s agenda by drawing attention to a wide range of issues faced by women and girls.

Focusing on a new Spotlight every two months, the NACWG aims to bring people together to share ideas and opinions on different gender equality issues. The Advisory Council is putting a Spotlight on fair work until the end of August, to explore the challenges faced by women in the workplace.

Louise Macdonald OBE, Co-Chair of the NACWG, said: “Longstanding gender barriers in the workplace means there remain fewer opportunities for career progression for women and girls and more women are in lower paid roles.

“Others face the “motherhood penalty” or have to take on additional caring responsibilities, and are forced into part-time work as they struggle to secure a work-life balance without the support from employers.

“It is important for the Advisory Council to hear from a diverse range of people to learn from different lived experiences. We want to hear from people in Edinburgh, whether they themselves or someone they know is affected by these issues. Every opinion we gather contributes to shaping our third report of recommendations to the First Minister.”

To have your say in the national conversation, people are encouraged to form a virtual ‘Wee Circle’ with family, friends or colleagues to discuss the issues surrounding fair work for women and girls (socially distanced, of course! – Ed.)

Feedback from these Wee Circle discussions, as well as individual feedback, can be submitted online at onescotland.org/NACWG and people can share their thoughts on social media using the hashtag #GenerationEqual.

Scottish Government issues sector guidance for easing lockdown

Support to return to work safely

New guidance has been published for retailers and manufacturers to consider how people can safely return to work, with updated guidance for construction to publish later this week.

The documents, which are among the first for a number of specific sectors, have been developed in consultation with business, trades unions and regulators. It will provide advice on essential equipment and services needed to create the conditions for safer workplaces.

Companies are expected to undertake a robust risk management approach that has been developed and maintained through joint working with employees. This will offer assurances to workers when the time is right to return to work.

Working to the phased approach in the route map on easing lockdown published last week, it details the steps required for businesses, acknowledging that some will face more complications when reopening than others, while also considering the impact on employees.

Economy Secretary Fiona Hyslop said: “Many businesses have been adapting to new ways of working with a significant proportion of staff working from home.

“While many people will continue with this, there are areas where it is not possible. We are listening to how businesses have made changes and in discussion with them to see how these changes can be safely applied to allow reopening.

“We’ve been working in partnership with industry, trades unions and regulators in around 14 sectors and will publish more sector-specific guidance over the next few weeks.

“However, I want to be clear that the journey doesn’t end once the guidance is published. This is just the starting point and these documents will continually evolve, where required, based on public health evidence and feedback from industry and trade unions.

“Guidance on its own, will not create safe working environments. We continue to work closely with the key enforcement agencies – the Health and Safety Executive, local authorities and Police Scotland – to ensure a joined up approach to the enforcement and monitoring of workplace public health measures.

“We are already supporting businesses through our unique package of support totalling £2.38 billion which reflects the specific needs of our economy. Our recovery will be an opportunity to renew our economy and build our resilience and future prosperity.”

Coronavirus (COVID-19): manufacturing sector guidance

Coronavirus (COVID-19): retail sector guidance

Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance for customers

COVID-19: Scotland’s route map for transitioning through and out of the crisis

Coronavirus (COVID-19): safer work places statement – Joint statement by the Scottish Government, Police Scotland, Health and Safety Executive and local authorities on safe workplaces.

Guides from the Health and Safety Executive provide useful sources of information:

Edinburgh MSP raises concerns over UK-wide companies encouraging return to work

An SNP MSP has urged businesses in Scotland not to call staff back to work early while the coronavirus lockdown remains in place.

Gordon MacDonald, MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, raised concerns that some organisations which operate in Scotland are now encouraging employees to return to work, contrary to official Scottish Government advice.

The UK government is asking those who cannot work from home in England to start returning to the workplace. But the First Minister said she was “not yet encouraging more people to go back to work” in Scotland so that we can continue to protect our NHS and save lives.

Scottish businesses will be able to reopen as soon as they can safely do so, and the Scottish Government is working with employers and trade unions to set out how staff could return to work safely and as soon as possible.

Gordon MacDonald MSP said: “The Scottish Government has been clear and consistent in its advice to stay at home except for essential purposes, and is not yet encouraging people to go back to work so that we can protect our NHS and save lives.

“However, it is concerning that some UK-wide companies, which have sites and employees based in Scotland, appear to be encouraging employees to return to work.

“It’s absolutely vital that the UK Government makes it clear that companies should following official guidelines from the devolved administrations, now that slight variations between Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and England exist.

“We still have a long way to go to overcome this crisis. I would ask that all employers in Edinburgh and across Scotland follow Scottish government guidance, and I am very grateful that the vast majority of employers have been doing so throughout this pandemic.”

Metro Rod recruiting 80 apprentices nationwide

Following a successful year since the initial launch of its apprenticeship in Drainage Maintenance, Inspection and Repair, Metro Rod is now aiming to recruit up to 80 new apprentices in 2020.

The nationwide commercial drainage expert makes the announcement as apprentices are being put in the spotlight around the country for the 13th annual National Apprenticeship Week, which is taking place from 3rd to 9th February.

Metro Rod’s apprenticeship scheme is an industry first. Nearly a year on since launch, Metro Rod remains the only company to offer a bespoke apprenticeship. This apprenticeship is accredited by the Institute of Training and Occupational Learning.

During the apprenticeship, participants will join specialist drainage teams in Metro Rod franchises around the country, where they will become highly skilled members of the industry while simultaneously earning a living.

The bespoke ‘earn while you learn’ training programme will include 37 practical internal courses and 12 external courses, covering every aspect of the industry that drainage specialists need to know. As all teaching is provided in-house and adopts a practical hands-on approach.

Apprentices will cover all elements of a career in drainage; from the traditional services to modern, innovative technologies. With training taking place on-the-job, apprentices not only learn from expert mentors with years of industry experience but are also provided with invaluable opportunities to experience real-life situations.

The structured learning pathway is split into three phases, starting with a three-month foundation then progressing to 18 months of skills development and ending with a final three months for consolidation and assessment. In this way, apprentices are given the opportunity to progress down a pathway that enables them to create a career that suits them.

Peter Molloy, managing director at Metro Rod, said: “Nearly 12-months after the launch of our apprenticeship scheme, there are now multiple apprentices working out of our depots across the UK. We can confidently say that each of our new employees are benefitting from this way of training whilst our customers are gaining from their fresh knowledge and new skills on-site.

“Every person who takes part in our new apprenticeship scheme is supported each step of the way. Whether they want to be an engineer or specalise in a particular discipline, this is a great way for apprentices to discover the best route for them.

“At Metro Rod, we’re committed to making sure the next generation of drainage and plumbing specialists have the skills, enthusiasm and knowledge to move the industry forward and truly believe that the Metro Rod apprenticeship ensures this.

“Our ethos when it comes to apprenticeships is to provide the right people with the right skills to build their own careers, grow our business and better the drainage industry. These beliefs perfectly tie in with this year’s National Apprenticeship Week theme of ‘Look Beyond’, as our scheme gives apprentices the tools to look beyond the end of their training to a career they can continue to grow throughout their adult lives.”

To find out more about the apprenticeship scheme, contact Metro Rod on apprentices@metrorod.co.uk.