Added incentive available to recruit apprentices in Shropshire
The Founder of a newly launched training academy in Telford has called on construction and engineering companies across Shropshire to take advantage of additional funding aimed at tackling mounting skills shortages.
Industry body the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB) has made available a UK-wide pot worth £500,000 to match fund a £1,500 grant already on offer from the government to encourage businesses to recruit an Apprentice, meaning that SMEs in the county’s engineering and construction sectors could receive a £3,000 contribution towards the wages of hiring a new member of staff.
Daniel Leech, Managing Director of Telford-based Computer Aided Design (CAD) specialist for the steel industry TDS Midlands, has recently helped launch The TDS Academy, the firm’s dedicated new training programme which aims to give youngsters the opportunity to gain practical, on the job training and vocational qualifications, whilst also enabling local employers to develop the skills of their workforce.
“This funding boost from ECITB is a much-needed and very timely shot in the arm for our industry, as if drastic measures aren’t taken now, we could be facing up to a critical shortage of qualified and capable design engineers over the next few years,” Daniel commented.
“The funding is available to small and medium-sized companies employing less than 250 people that haven’t taken on an Apprentice since 2009, yet plan to recruit a new member of staff on an ECITB approved training framework, such as the one we run ourselves, for a September 2012 start. The only obligation an employer has is to make up the rest of the Apprentice’s wages, which equates to roughly £5,000 a year for three years – at that level of investment it’s a real no-brainer for companies, as upon completion of the programme they’ll be able to reap the benefits of having a highly-skilled member of staff for a comparatively small outlay.”
Based at the state-of-the art Telford Enterprise Hub in Hadley Park, The TDS Academy offers three-year Apprenticeship training programmes where participants will be able to learn vital CAD skills and techniques through a combination of qualifications and work-based, on the job learning. Apprentices successfully completing the programme will obtain an ECITB Level 3 Diploma in Engineering Construction Design and Drafting, along with a BTEC Level 3 Diploma in Operations and Maintenance Engineering – the equivalent of two A Levels.
“It’s not just about these paper qualifications though,” Daniel Leech explained. “Apprentices will also be able to get to grips with real life construction and engineering problems, and help come up with practical solutions. At TDS Midlands, in the last couple of years alone, we’ve been involved in a number of high-profile projects, including work on the Houses of Parliament, the world-famous ‘Gherkin’ skyscraper in the City of London, sports stadia such as Newcastle United FC, and the Bluewater Shopping Centre, and it’s schemes such as these that the Apprentices will be able to play a part in.”
The first wave of Apprentices are due to begin their training at The TDS Academy this September, but places are still available for both individuals and companies to get involved. “Not only will these Apprenticeships give young people the chance to start their careers off on a sound footing, but employers can also reap huge rewards from investing in their future and developing their staff for years to come – and in the current economic climate, it’s also a viable way for these companies to support their community and give youngsters tangible employment opportunities. Any employers or individuals interested in finding out more about the training programme should get in touch by emailing enquiries@tdsacademy.co.uk,” Daniel Leech concluded.
