Skillset is pioneering new pathways into the Creative Media and Fashion & Textiles Industries with the roll out of a range of apprenticeship frameworks throughout England and Wales.

With this week being National Apprenticeship Week (7-11 February), Skillset is celebrating the success of these Apprenticeships, which are exciting examples of how vocational training can provide more open access to these highly competitive industries. They are also a fantastic way for employers to tap into new creative talent to help their businesses grow, while playing an active role in shaping the workforce of the future.

Skillset has designed Advanced Apprenticeship frameworks in four broad areas of the industry: Creative and Digital Media, Set Crafts, Fashion and Textiles and Photo Imaging.

These Apprenticeships are running throughout England and Wales, with some of Britain's leading fashion and media companies taking on apprentices. There is currently a pilot in the South West that has created over 12 vacancies in companies seeking young, digitally savvy talent through which to grow their businesses. Did you know that an Apprentice with A levels or a Btec can cost you under £6k a year?  Or that you can work with a specialist training provider to tailor the development of your Apprentice to support your business growth? Or that Skillset can currently support your recruitment process (until April 2011). Companies that have chosen to recruit Apprentices range from the large (Channel 4, Twofour) to the small (Halo Films, Hot Pepper Design) and are suitable and tailored for your needs.

Vicky Lea, HR Manager at Twofour says:

“We sat down with Plymouth College of Art and worked out how the framework could fit into our company and what roles could be undertaken here that would match with the objectives set.
We had a lot of flexibility and wanted the focus to be on digital, digital technologies and creative media rather than on the broadcast TV side of things.
Overall the apprentices have been highly beneficial to the company and have had a great impact and will continue to do so.
They come with a fresh set of eyes and over time will contribute ideas to feed into developing new products and converging technology. We hired apprentices to capture talent and improve our company, and it is working.”

The Apprenticeship is a qualification based on work experience, with most learning being done on the job & extra skills being taught in college or by a visiting tutor, according to needs. The apprenticeship can be shaped into a number of pathways, it's up to the company & apprentice to decide.

Companies can take on an apprentice for any period of time up to 18 months, though a minimum of 3 months is preferable. Apprentices can also be shared between companies if that suits better. The cost to companies will vary according to the arrangement, but the average is approx. £150 p/w but it can be as low as £95 if the apprentice is under 19.

For more information about Skillset please visit: http://www.skillset.org/qualifications/apprenticeships/Take%5FApprenticeship/