Cornwall Agency Celebrates Creating 650 Apprenticeships Within Two Years
The Cornwall Apprenticeship Agency is calling on employers in Cornwall to take on an apprentice in 2015 as it celebrates creating 650 apprenticeships within two years.
The appeal follows recent research from the National Audit Office which estimates that the economy gains £18 for every £1 of public funding towards apprenticeships. With the government offering tax cuts to employers hiring young apprentices, the Cornwall-based organisation is calling for more businesses in the region to get involved.
The Cornwall Apprenticeship Agency (CAA) provides a unique service to businesses by creating tailored recruitment and skills solutions for companies looking to expand. It can even employ the apprentice on their behalf, removing barriers to growth commonly experienced by small and medium businesses.
Mandy Stinchcombe, commercial director at Aspects Holidays, a St Ives-based lettings agency which has been acknowledged as an exemplary employer after earning a prestigious Investors in People (IIP) Silver award in 2014, said that a recent apprentice which they have taken on through the CAA has proved to be a great experience for both parties.
“Due to the recent growth in the company we knew we had to recruit, but we didn’t want to go down the traditional recruitment process,” said Mandy. “An apprenticeship scheme really appealed to us as a business. The CAA scheme offers specific and structured training and a genuine plan of professional development, which is excellent. We also felt that it was a chance to offer a young person the opportunity to gain that vital experience and training that they are often asked for when applying for jobs.”
Leah Attwood joined Aspects Holidays through the CAA scheme on a twelve month programme. She will be supported by a CAA representative who will provide guidance and training throughout the programme before she can look to enter into full time employment with the company.
Leah Attwood said: “Through the CAA scheme I’ve been able to join the sales team at Aspects Holidays. A key part of my role over the next twelve months will be to work in the customer care department to make sure that clients are happy and customers’ needs are dealt with quickly and efficiently. The CAA scheme has provided me with a great opportunity to work with a growing company in Cornwall which is doing some really exciting things in the tourism industry. I would thoroughly recommend the apprenticeship scheme to anyone considering it.”
According to the CAA, apprenticeships delivered £1.8billion of net benefits to organisations in the UK in 2012/13* and that for most apprenticeship jobs, particularly in service sectors, the value of the economic output produced by apprentices exceeded wage and training costs.
Stephen Roberts from the Cornwall Apprenticeship Agency, said: “More employers, who may not have previously considered taking on an apprentice, are beginning to realise that the skills and financial benefits of an apprentice speak for themselves. We would encourage any employer contemplating taking on an apprentice to get in touch to see how we can support them.”
The CAA’s specialist advisors help take the hassle out of recruitment by sourcing the right candidate, handling the administration and short-listing process, and helping businesses access grant funding.
Aspects Holidays markets more than 400 properties in St Ives and West Cornwall, with offices in Hayle and St Ives. For more information visit www.aspects-holidays.co.uk
- Posted: January 27, 2015
- By: Tim Bowerbank
- Categories: Latest News
