Basingstoke ITEC Newsletter November 2024
Welcome to the first Basingstoke ITEC newsletter!
Our bi-monthly newsletter is a chance for you to catch up with us and for us to keep you up to date with essential apprenticeship news. So … grab a cuppa and have a read.
(There’s an unsubscribe option at the bottom if you really don’t want to hear from us every 60 days or so … but read on before making up your mind!)
Forty Fun
As the end of year approaches, here at Basingstoke ITEC we are OBSESSED with the number 40.
But why?!!
We know you might not believe us; we definitely don’t look it 😉 – but in just a couple of months, we’ll be 40 years old! 🎊🎂🎉🎈
So we thought we could start off our first ever newsletter with some fun forty facts. Here are a few of our favourites:
Minus 40 degrees is the unique temperature at which Fahrenheit and Celsius are the same.
Image Source: Physics Stack Exchange
There are 40 spaces on a standard Monopoly Board. This means that players have equal odds, 1 in 40, of going to Jail or winning the Free Parking money.
Image Source: Unsplash – William Warby
The word quarantine comes from the Italian ‘quaranta’ meaning 40. The word came into use during the Middle Ages when the Bubonic Plague or ‘Black Death’ swept through Europe – ships had to be isolated for 40 days before crews could go ashore.
Image Source: The Wellcome Collection – Ships waiting off the coast of Malta
Now, onto the Newsletter ‘Proper’ …
Labour’s New Skills Programme
Earlier this year the Government launched Skills England with the aim of bringing together key partners who will work to assess where skills gaps exist and how they can be addressed.
The first Skills England Report has now been published and sets out the key challenges which limit growth and opportunity, as well as assessing the skills needed to improve the economy. Additionally, the report examines future skills needs. Highlighted future trends include specialised green energy, technology and artificial intelligence skills.
November deadline nears – Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council Grants
The deadline for both of these grants is fast approaching – 30th November 2024
3.5k Workforce Development Grant
This grant is for spending on staff training that will support your business growth. It is open to any micro business or SME who is trading in and has a physical presence within the borough of Basingstoke and Deane. Funding can be used for a range of training activities but must address a clearly evidenced business need.
For more information on how to apply, go to the basingstoke.gov.uk website. Prospective applicants will need to contact ukspf@basingstoke.gov.uk to arrange a conversation to discuss their proposal before being able to apply to the Scheme and receiving an application form – so get your skates on if you would like to take advantage of this incentive.
5k Apprenticeship Grant
If you are a micro / small / medium business in Basingstoke and Deane, you could be eligible for a grant of £5,000 per apprentice. This grant is to support the costs of recruiting and retaining a new apprentice. You can apply for up to 3 grants for 3 new apprentices.
At Basingstoke ITEC we think this is an incredible resource for local businesses, and have ourselves utilised the fund in the past to hire an administrator apprentice. Other success stories include a fashion retailer who was able to recruit a multi-channel marketer apprentice, and two family businesses who used the grant to support their teenage children to take on marketing and business administration apprenticeships, enabling them to work in the family businesses.
To be eligible, you must demonstrate the business need for an apprentice and how the apprentice will support business growth.
Update from the Autumn Budget
£300m for FE
The Autumn Budget allocated an additional £300 million to Further Education, but it’s not been explained exactly how this amount will be distributed. Will only colleges receive the additional funds, or other further education systems too?
Apprenticeship Levy
£40 million is intended to transform the Apprenticeship Levy into a Growth and Skills Levy, by delivering new foundation apprenticeships and shorter apprenticeships in key sectors. Currently the minimum term for an apprentice is 12 months, however many feel that this isn’t necessary as some apprenticeships can be completed quicker. The new Foundation Apprenticeship is intended to offer training to those not able to start at Level 2 or 3 and will be a paid role.
Minimum Wage Increase
From April 2025, apprentices will benefit from an increase in their minimum wage, from £6.40 to £7.55 an hour.
ITEC Success Story
We are so proud to have worked with many incredible companies over the years. Southern Communications Group (SCG) is the UK’s leading communications provider … and one of ITEC’s favourite success stories!
ITEC and SCG have worked together for over five years and have a strong partnership. We’ve placed many apprentices with SCG over that time and some have gone on to become senior managers in the company. One of the directors is an ex-ITEC apprentice too! What an incredible testament to the importance of apprenticeships in building successful careers.
If you think your company could be a future ITEC success story, get in touch and perhaps we can feature you in a future edition of our newsletter!
FAQs
Whenever we start working with a new company, there are a few key questions which often come up. So, we thought, why not include them in our newsletters to make sure everyone knows the answers! Each issue we will cover a couple of our most frequently asked questions.
What happens if the apprentice I recruit turns out to be unreliable or unsuitable?
Apprentices should be treated as any normal employee. That means the same disciplinary and notice systems. However, at Basingstoke ITEC we have fabulous trainers and tutors as well as an excellent interview process and buddying scheme. We work hard to match you with the right apprentice and we are exceptionally proud of our 95% pass rate for those completing our apprenticeship programme, and an achievement rate which is over 10% higher than the national average.
How much salary do I have to pay an apprentice?
This depends on the role and your geographical location. We will help by sending you the average salaries being paid in your location. There has been a minimum wage increase in the recent budget but keep in mind that you should pay a competitive salary to attract the best candidates.
Before we go … one more fun forty fact … we will have a few more for you next year!
It took chemists 40 attempts to develop WD-40. The product’s full name is Water Displacement, 40th formula.
Image Source: WD-40
And that’s it! How did you like our first newsletter? Let us know what you would like to see in future editions.
Geographically, most of our placements are in the areas around Oxford, South London, Thames Valley, Southampton and Portsmouth, but we do have the ability to work anywhere in England.
Contact us to learn more about what we can do together.
01256 471161 (9:00am-4:30pm)
apprenticeships@basingstokeitec.co.uk
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