Capital Training Group Apprenticeship Staff Support Programme (ASSP)

Capital Training Group Project Lead Merton Chamber of Commerce Delivery Lead

CAPITAL TRAINING GROUP – PROJECT LEAD  Capital Training Group is an Award Winning Training Provider based in central Wimbledon. Capital Training Group offers Intermediate and Advanced Apprenticeships in Business Administration, ICT and Sales. We pride ourselves on the pastoral support and mentoring we give to our Apprentices. Wherever possible we ensure that Apprenticeships lead to sustainable employment with an 86% success rate for Apprentices staying in employment following the completion of their Apprenticeship.  As winners of the prestigious Merton Best Business Award for ‘Best Service Excellence’ in 2013 we can offer our stakeholders the very best Apprenticeship opportunities and support.

MERTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE – DELIVERY LEAD  Merton Chamber of Commerce is a limited company and non- profit making organisation which was set up in Their overall objective is to protect and develop the interests of the business community based in the London Borough of Merton, South London.  Through Merton Business Support Service, they provide a range of services for start up and established businesses  Merton Chamber of Commerce Take One campaign to promote Apprenticeships to employers using partnership model was a significant factor in the increasing number of employers/SMEs engaged.

Description  Building on best practice, the project focuses on securing and further developing employer involvement, in particular SME’s in apprentice delivery; and supporting staff working in the sector to engage effectively with employers. This will be achieved through:  The delivery of workshops, underpinned by the production an electronic ‘tool-kit and ‘expert’ adviser support to Apprentice employer engagement practitioners in the London area;  The project acting as an ‘Academy’ for the employer engagement function, with ‘graduates’ receiving formal CPD recognition through certification;  Dissemination by the ‘graduates’ utilising local networks and a ‘hub; and ‘spoke’ approach to the wider sector, with the ongoing support of ‘expert’ advisers and on-line/physical resources.  Supporting the development of ‘locality’ specific apprenticeship partnership models, underpinned by the production of capacity building resources (an electronic ‘toolkit’).

Outputs June - September Employer Engagement ‘Electronic’ Tool-Kit: containing CPD resources to help Apprentice staff involved in the employer engagement function to effectively engage with employers. The tool-kit will include instructional resources, follow the employer engagement journey, with specific emphasis on supporting employers through the recruitment stage and will include case studies/recorded interviews with SME’s. 2. Apprenticeship Partnership Tool-Kit: to help local areas form a robust partnership and run locality specific apprentice promotional campaigns for employers.

Outputs October We will deliver workshops to key individuals both to disseminate the tool-kits and provide face to face ‘expert’ adviser support on how to effectively utilise the resources to develop employer engagement capacity and competencies. November During October / November 2014 Direct participants/ ‘graduates’ of the workshops / ‘Academy’ will deliver to practitioners within their own networks. December We will run a final evaluation dissemination event locally to celebrate success of the project / Academy graduates

Outcomes for staff Toolkits will enable staff to develop the capacity and competencies needed to effectively engage with employers. We will undertake pre and post support assessment / survey and telephone follow up with staff accessing the resources (see below on delivering / dissemination) in order to capture these development outcomes. Workshops will enable key staff to deliver and embed the ‘tool-kits’ within their own networks – leading to the wider workforce developing the capacity and competencies needed to effectively engage with employers.

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