enthusiastic workers who can bring fresh ideas to your business. Shaun Hindle, Senior Director of ... desks with two des
Find future workforce through work experience with the help of Solihull Chamber and Solihull College
Solihull Chamber and Solihull College are working together to provide students the opportunity to work with exciting businesses and gain valuable work experience whilst giving businesses enthusiastic workers who can bring fresh ideas to your business.
Shaun Hindle, Senior Director of Employment and Skills at Solihull College said:
“Work experience is a fantastic opportunity to inspire young people about the world of work so whether you’re a small retail store or a large multi-national company, you can transform placements into something inspirational.
“Work experience is about giving students insights into the working world, so think what you can do to develop the skills, attitude and ambition students need to move from education into a successful working life. In return you will gain an enthusiastic worker who is keen to learn and at no cost to your business.” Joan Smith, Divisional Director Solihull Chamber of Commerce says:
“We are based at Solihull College and so work very closely with the staff in all areas around training, apprenticeships and work experience for students. Last year the college set up four hot desks with two desktop computers and two apple macs. This gives college students the opportunity to engage with local businesses for up to 30 hours on areas such as IT, Social media, web developing, graphics and marketing. Businesses have engaged with students to discover all sorts of unexpected benefits including lowered recruitment costs and improved management skills in staff. We have already placed over 70 students with our members on various projects. The placements are tailored to suit your business and give you a chance to find potential future apprentices or employees.”
If you would like to find out more please call Solihull Chamber on 0121 678 7488.
Solihull
Chamber of Commerce
Hear what businesses are already saying…
Solihull Chamber of Commerce and Solihull College have joined forces to provide Solihull business networking group, Solihullhour with a new website. Solihull College students, Jacob Ross and Cameron Sidebotham have been given the opportunity to work on a ‘live’ project – creating a brand new business website for Solihullhour. Solihull College Computing Lecturer, Fahwad Mahmood added, “This is an excellent opportunity for a local business to work in collaboration with the college and our students to give them the experience of working on a real ‘live’ project”. 23-year-old Jessie Hancox and Director of Jurnie, Children’s Wear and Gifts on High Street, Solihull said, “'When I founded Solihullhour back at the beginning of 2013, I wanted to help bring businesses together in our local community, in order to support each other. With the help of my Mum and fellow Jurnie Director, Trish Willetts and local businesswoman, Nikki Radvanyi, this has proven very successful. Now, I am thrilled that we have been able to go one step further and help Solihull College students to gain work experience, which could prove invaluable when they come to look for a job or a university.'' Jessie, who only completed her Business degree at Lincoln University in 2014 while starting up her Solihull business, understands how important it is for students to have experience in the business environment and to begin to make vital connections for the future. Solihull Chamber Operations Director, Joan Smith added, “Solihull Chamber is delighted to be working with Solihull College to connect their students to our members on work experience projects. The Solihullhour website is a classic example of the work the students are doing for local businesses” Student Jacob added, “This is a great opportunity for us. It is giving me experience and something real to add to my CV”. For more information contact Nikki Radvanyi on 07730 218 587.
Students prove work experience really does pay off!
Zoe begins her retail Jurnie
With the help of the Chamber Solihull College IT student Hassan Ali gained worked experience at High Street electronics store Maplin.
The Chamber has worked with Solihull College’s Zoe Michael to create a work experience opportunity for the retail student.
Hassan Ali – Maplin
After impressing whilst on work experience Hassan has now stayed on at the firm working part-time, to fit around his college course. Store manager Edd Summers said: “We believe it’s important to support young people in gaining experience like this. Working with us, students gain experience of customer service, using the store’s in-house systems, plus they get to learn all about what we sell – particularly relevant to a computing student like Hassan. He’s taken everything in his stride and has already become a great addition to the team.”
Zoe Michael – Jurnie
Zoe, who is studying towards her Retail qualification, has a keen interest in visual merchandising and has already gained experience in window dressing after winning a competition with the Air Ambulance charity to allow her to dress their window in the Solihull store.
Solihull Chamber director Joan Smith said: “Businesses have engaged with students to discover all sorts of unexpected benefits including lowered recruitment costs and improved management skills in staff. We have already placed over 50 students with our members on various projects. The placements are tailored to suit a business and give them a chance to find potential future apprentices or employees.”
Where else can work experience lead?
You’ve seen how work experience can lead to employment for students and gaining a valuable employee for businesses but where else can it lead? You may have heard of businesses taking on Apprentices within their business but you’re unsure if you can facilitate an apprentice. Offering work experience is the perfect taste of how an apprentice could fit in your company. After completing work experience students could move into an apprenticeship to allow them to still learn at College but continue working at your business and contribute to its success.
Solihull
Chamber of Commerce
Thanks to Solihull Chamber’s links with local businesses Zoe now has the opportunity to expand on her experience in the visual merchandising field by dressing the shop window of children’s clothes and gift company Jurnie in Solihull. Director of Jurnie, Trish Willietts said they were delighted with Zoe’s efforts and loved the display.
Why are apprenticeships beneficial to you as a business?
BENEFITS OF APPRENTICESHIPS TO EMPLOYERS DID YOU KNOW? HOW DO APPRENTICESHIPS THE GOVERNMENT INVESTED
£1.5
HELP BUSINESSES? 80% OF
£214 PER WEEK
BILLION
IN APPRENTICESHIPS IN 2013-2014
96%
AVERAGE PRODUCTIVITY INCREASE
OF EMPLOYERS REPORTED…
A BENEFIT TO THEIR BUSINESS AS A RESULT OF TAKING ON AN APPRENTICE IN 2012
1,000 BUSINESSES ARE NOW INVOLVED IN DESIGNING THE NEW APPRENTICESHIP STANDARDS
88% OF EMPLOYERS BELIEVE THAT APPRENTICESHIPS LEAD TO A MORE MOTIVATED AND SATISFIED WORKFORCE
*STATISTICS TAKEN FROM STUDY CONDUCTED BY POPULOUS ON BEHALF OF SKILLS FUNDING AGENCY
FOR MORE DETAILS CONTACT… t: 0121 678 7181
e:
[email protected]
w: www.solihull.ac.uk
EMPLOYERS FEEL THEY REDUCE STAFF TURNOVER
COST
REDUCTIONS
53%
OF BUSINESSES SAY THEY BENEFIT FROM LOWER RECRUITMENT COSTS
59%
81%
OF CONSUMERS FAVOUR USING A COMPANY WHICH EMPLOYS APPRENTICES, SHOWS COMMITMENT TO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY AND DEVELOPS THE WORKFORCE OF THE FUTURE
83% OF EMPLOYERS RELY ON THEIR APPRENTICESHIPS PROGRAMME TO PROVIDE THE SKILLED WORKFORCE THEY NEED
FROM LOWER TRAINING COSTS MANY BUSINESSES ALSO REDUCE THEIR SALARY COSTS
Heard about the apprenticeship levy and unsure how it will affect your business? We can help!
The government’s agenda is to increase apprenticeship starts to 3 million by 2020 and therefore the first levy payments will be due in April 2017 to all large organisations, regardless of whether they employ apprentices or not but will only be payable on annual pay bills in excess of £3m. The rate of the levy will be set at 0.5% of an employer’s pay bill. The levy puts control of apprenticeship funding in the hands of employers and encourages you to invest in apprentices and businesses that pay the levy and are committed to apprenticeship training will be able to get out more than they pay in to the levy through a top-up to their digital accounts. If you would like a levy calculation tailored specifically to your organisation then please get in touch. Solihull College & University Centre is perfectly positioned to work with employers as they work through this changing landscape. Our Business Skills Advisers will be able to offer further information and advice, review your organisations current Professional Qualification, Graduate, Apprentice and Internal Training programmes to ensure you maximise the value of your levy. For more information call 0121 678 7181 or email
[email protected]
Solihull
Chamber of Commerce
Need proof that Apprenticeships work? Read Clodagh’s story… 21 year old Clodagh Finnegan, who completed a Hospitality apprenticeship at Solihull College & University Centre with Amadeus food has recently impressed all at her employer and secured an award at the NEC Group’s Employee Awards night – The Brilliance Awards.
The Brilliance Awards allow employees of the NEC Group to be nominated by their colleagues for a number of awards associated to the NEC values including customer, spirit, energise, teamwork, team of the year and newcomer of the year. Clodagh was nominated for the ‘customer’ award and received more nominations than anyone else in any other category and included nominations from other areas of the business proving she has not only impressed in her home venue of the Genting Arena but in other areas of the business also. Clodagh was part of the Amadeus Catering Apprenticeship at Solihull College & University Centre which gives individuals the opportunity to join the multi-award winning venue caterer, Amadeus. Clodagh comments “Whilst completing my apprenticeship I’ve been able to learn a lot more about the business including purchasing, marketing and staffing as well as working across different venues; I’ve served tea and coffee to guests and then I’ve served a sit-down dinner to over 1000 guests too. “My tutors on the course at the College were great; they understand that you’re adults. I feel I now have a good knowledge of the industry and I want to keep working my way up.” Clodagh’s manager Graeme Ellis, Hospitality and Catering Manager at Amadeus, Genting Arena commented: “I am still astonished with how much progress Clodagh has made since joining Amadeus. I still remember her first shift as a shy, nervous little thing that wouldn’t say boo to a goose. Fast forward a couple of years and she has gone from strength to strength. “Clodagh has a unique ability of keeping calm and taking everything in her stride, no matter how much responsibility she is given or how difficult the circumstances are. On top of the valuable experience she has earned, the skills she has learnt at the college have been first class and she displays these on a day to day basis. The regular meetings we have with her tutor identify with how well she is doing and where she can improve and have given Clodagh great direction, which I know she refers to regularly. Clodagh is now a full time member of our team and regularly works at a Supervisory level responsible for the successful running of a section or even on occasions a whole restaurant being responsible for 10 or more waiters. This is fantastic progress, which was recognised by her peers at the recent Brilliance awards, winning the Customer Service award voted for by fellow employees of the NEC Group. A phenomenal achievement, well done Clodagh, we are all so proud of you!”
Solihull
Chamber of Commerce
Think a work experience or apprenticeship placement could work for you? CALL US NOW:
Solihull Chamber 0121 678 7488
Solihull College & University Centre 0121 678 7181
