Making Sense of Apprenticeships event for small businesses

A campaign to boost Apprentice numbers in small businesses across Oxfordshire comes to Bicester next month.

The ‘Making Sense of Apprenticeships’ event will give local employers the opportunity to come along and have their questions answered by a panel of experts and hear about the positive impact Apprentices can have in the workplace. Specialists in Apprenticeships for smaller businesses will also outline funding opportunities, including details of the Apprenticeship Grant for Employers.

The event is an Oxfordshire Apprenticeships initiative and is supported by a number of partner organisations such as the Bicester Chamber of Commerce and the National Apprenticeship Service. It takes place on Thursday 10 January, 9.30-11.30am and is being hosted by Bicester Innovation Centre. To find out more and register free, visit http://makingsensebicester.eventbrite.co.uk.

Paddy Patterson, Skills Partnership Officer at Oxfordshire County Council, says: ‘The aim of these events is to help businesses make sense of Apprenticeships by giving the facts, busting the myths and by hearing from employers and Apprentices themselves on their experiences. It is important that we understand the problems facing employers, so we listen to businesses and have plain-English discussions about finding suitable solutions.’

Kate Carruthers, Operations Manager at Oxford Wood recycling was among the attendees praising a similar event held at Monument Park, Chalgrove in October, describing it as: 'A wealth of information presented in an accessible and clear format. At last, a sensible approach to explaining things!'

Ben Jackson, President of Bicester & District Chamber of Commerce, is delighted that the next Oxfordshire Apprenticeships event is being held in Bicester. He says: ‘Having supported training for probably in excess of 50 young people over the years I can categorically say that developing your team through a proper training scheme, such as Apprenticeships, is an excellent way to improve your business and all the people who work there. Training in this manner encourages staff loyalty, leads to better customer service and can deliver better quality across the company as a whole.’

Councillor Melanie Magee, Deputy Mayor of Bicester and Cherwell's Lead Councillor on Apprenticeships, is looking forward to being one of the panel of experts at the event. She says: ‘Apprenticeships provide a fantastic way of developing skills within any industry and I speak from experience as someone who has had 5 Apprentices. An Apprentice can make a real difference to a business. They can open up opportunities for existing staff to mentor and impart knowledge, whilst growing future talent to meet ever changing customer choices and needs. With over 250 different types of Apprenticeship available, there is something that every business can benefit from, whilst supporting the local community through providing new opportunities.'

To find out more about how Oxfordshire County Council’s Business and Skills Bureau can help local businesses with Apprenticeships, see our support for employers page.