Keeping our focus on apprenticeships, fand following on from the celebration of National Apprenticeship Week 2023 which took place in February, we’d like to turn our focus onto “older” apprentices. There is often a stigma surrounding apprenticeships, with people thinking that they’re for the young and inexperienced, and not suitable for the older employee.
Apprenticeships are, in fact, open to anyone over the age of 16. An apprenticeship may be the ideal route for someone who wants a career change, or the perfect option for an employee to train and develop an existing member of staff, and where they are rewarded with a recognised qualification at the end of it.
Liiift recently helped a client source an apprenticeship for a member of his team. Mark, the apprentice, had dipped in and out of finance over the course of his career and knew it was where he wanted to be, having previously studied for an accounting qualification 10 years previously. Now in his 30’s, he is 6 months into a Level 7 Accountancy and Taxation Professional Apprenticeship. This is providing him with on-the-job training in the area he’s always wanted to work in whilst gaining a qualification which is the equivalent of a Master’s, proving it’s never too late to start.
Mark says, “Studying for the apprenticeship whilst working has played a massive part in building my confidence. I have guidance and support from my manager, too which is great. I’m so grateful for the opportunity and for the chance to develop both personally and professionally, as well as be rewarded with an outstanding and highly respected qualification.”
On Liiift’s involvement with arranging the apprenticeship, Mark’s manager Phil said, “Liiift supported me in securing funding for training for two staff members, which ended up saving the business around £25k. Liiift’s director Dawn was extremely knowledgeable when it came to sources of external funding for professional qualifications, and she guided me through the whole complicated application process. I look forward to working with Dawn and the Liiift team in the future.”
If you’d like to arrange training for your staff, whether it is an apprenticeship or another form of development, contact Liiift today.
Dawn Tolcher
