Apprenticeships rewritten
by Carmen Daley, BMF Apprenticeships Plus
15 March 2018
The
BMF is making giant strides to transform apprenticeships in the
merchant industry. With our accredited Apprenticeship Training Agency
(ATA) and a new division,
BMF Apprenticeship Plus,
we are helping members gain maximum benefit from the opportunities
created by the Government’s apprenticeship reforms. Carmen Daley, who
runs the BMF Apprenticeship Plus programme, explains what’s new.
Last year the Government took the book on Apprenticeships and shredded
it. A better way to think of Apprenticeships now is as a means to train -
or develop further – staff at any level, whether they are new or
existing employees. These changes come at a time when the challenges
faced by the industry mean staff need to be well trained and upskilled
more than ever.
The new reforms, however brilliant, don’t come without complexities,
employer responsibilities and time-consuming administration. The BMF
Apprenticeships team manage these on behalf of members. We oversee all
aspects of Apprenticeship learning, such as Levy management,
recruitment, contracting of Training Providers and learner monitoring
and reporting. We can even employ Apprentices on behalf of members
through the BMF ATA. Whilst this service is new to BMF members, it is
not new to us. We have been working with the Electrical Distributors
Association for over six years and employ 400 Apprentices on behalf of
their members.
Carmen is passionate about apprenticeships, and her goal is to encourage
more people to join the industry, including young women, who are often
hesitant when they call.
If someone says, ‘Can I apply for the Driving Apprenticeship’, I know what’s coming next …’I wasn’t sure if girls could’.
I love any opportunity to introduce people to this industry, and if it
is someone who thought they might not be welcome, then it is even
better. I tell them about the many BMF members who focus only on talent
and enthusiasm. I explain that historically, yes, we might have been a
male-dominated industry, but that is changing.
There may be a long way to go to bring greater numbers of female
candidates into the industry but Carmen believes Apprenticeships are an
excellent conduit for doing so.
This year also sees the introduction of the new
Trade Supplier Apprenticeship Standard,
which – in another first for the industry - was jointly written by BMF
and EDA members to ensure that newcomers are equipped with relevant
workplace skills. With this additional resource in their toolbox, Carmen
and her team are aiming high.
Our aim this year for BMF members is to start 110 Apprentices to mark
the Trade Association's 110th Anniversary. We are thrilled to already be
working with a number of members on a range of Apprenticeships as
diverse as Accounting, Driving, IT and Warehouse Operative. The coming
weeks will also see the first learners begin the new Trade Supplier
standard.
For further information on the services offered by
BMF Apprenticeships Plus, please contact me at
carmen@bmfapprenticeshipsplus.co.uk or 0333 305 7656.