Please Mind The Gap - Recruitment Apprenticeships
Your recruitment career
By Anita Holbrow.
Who would have believed it…The plight of the economy prevails….The UK population has swollen beyond all expectations… and yet the skill and talent gap is wider than ever before.
And never so acutely felt than for our own industry.
One of the things that I have seen over the past few years, is how Rec2Rec recruiters have changed in response to this… so many of the best, who are part of the REC Corporate Membership, run active engagement programmes out to schools and universities, create Academy style recruitment drives, have adopted IRP at the core of their product…and as such, many do offer a vital new stimulus for talent incubation.
The other interesting dynamic is how visible the growth is in all recruitment businesses taking talent attraction and development seriously; home-growing their talent themselves, establishing a programme of induction programmes, training, coaching, mentoring, qualifications, IRP Advocacy – and most recently … apprenticeships.
Apprenticeships though, are one of those government initiative things which actually does sort of make sense…. The expense and non-guaranteed success these days from a university education means it’s not right for everyone, and this is where an apprenticeship may well be the logical next step for many. But, one of the problems we have, however… is understanding the new context of ‘apprenticeship’ vs. the sort of ‘old-world’ view of a 15yr old boy ‘learning a trade’ because there were no alternatives available.
‘Apprenticeships’.... it might not be the right word for what now exists, but it’s what these things are called… but what they really provide and actually do is…… (ok..here is my attempt to unravel)…:
- A period of managed on the job learning
- A programme of job and skill learning with a qualification
- A higher and qualified learning programme whilst employed.
- Doing recruitment, getting qualified and being paid… all at the same time!!
- Doing a leadership job, getting qualified, and being paid… all at the same time!
- Getting FUNDING to work, get paid and qualified…. All at the same time..!
- Ok… last attempt…. Doing a job, while you also get qualified, and get paid… and possibly funded… Right Up to DEGREE equivalent level.. all at the same time…!!
No sorcery involved….Check this video out
And the other thing is… it’s for all, it’s coming soon and it will only grow from here!!! (Apprenticeship - probably is the wrong name for it)
REC/IRP are working with Skills CFA, and leading a cross-industry stakeholder group to provide the very first ever recruitment specific apprenticeships late next year.
They will be at level 3 and level 4, and will be available through providers across the UK – as a tangible route for people coming in to recruitment.
What do you think…. Will we make recruitment a destination???? Should we??
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