Providing skills across the country
Businesses in rural areas of the UK, especially those operating in technical fields, can face various challenges. The 2013 Northern Devon Skills Survey, for example, highlighted particular skills shortages in the manufacturing and business support service sectors in this area. In addition, the availability of providers that are able to deliver courses locally can be restricted. This is further complicated by the relatively high number of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in this area that can have varying needs and smaller numbers of students spread over a larger area. Vacancies as a result of skills shortages can, in turn, impact businesses, including increasing the workload of staff and delaying the development of new products or services.
In 2013, the Royal Society of Chemistry, the Salters’ Institute, the Gatsby Charitable Foundation and the Society of Chemical Industry brought together more than 50 chemical industry employers, trainers and stakeholders to discuss technical skills needs in the chemical industry. The resulting Supporting Technical Skills in the Chemical Industry report highlighted "the need for high quality technical and vocational education has never been more important to the UK than it is today. The chemical industry has an ambition to raise its contribution to the economy … But that will only happen if the industry has the right people with the right skills to make the most out of the opportunities at hand."
Some of the report’s recommendations for employers included ensuring that more apprenticeships are available and for employers to invest and develop in the skills capacity in their geographical area by offering work placement opportunities to local colleges, collaborating with SMEs.
What do we need to do?
If apprenticeships are a potential solution to technical skills shortages, we must consider four key areas to ensure their success, especially in rural areas.
- Employers need to support apprenticeships across a range of disciplines.
- Schools need to understand and promote the opportunities of apprenticeships.
- Apprenticeships standards and quality systems must be available to ensure high-quality training.
- Relevant providers must be available to support and/or deliver apprenticeships.
One of the ways to address the first two points is to foster stronger links between employers and schools/FE colleges, ensuring good understanding of technical career opportunities and the right skills are available to support future business needs. For example, the North Devon STEM task group has been working on a range of initiatives to develop such relationships. By increasing the number of STEM ambassadors and employer interventions with schools and colleges, we have been able to promote apprenticeships and scientific career opportunities.
To deliver a successful apprenticeship programme, it is also important to ensure that relevant apprenticeship standards are available and supported in the local area. The Apprenticeship Trailblazer project has brought together employers, professional bodies, the Sector Skills Council, UK government representatives and apprenticeship providers to develop the standards in a range of areas including the life sciences and industrial sciences field.
In October last year, the government published a report that outlines its four key aims for reforming apprenticeships in England. These are to
- increase the quality of apprenticeships;
- put employers in the driving seat;
- simplify the system;
- give employers purchasing power.
The Life Sciences and Industrial Sciences Trailblazer phase 1 team has successfully developed apprenticeship standards for a range of roles, including the laboratory technician, science manufacturing technician and science manufacturing maintenance technician. It has been very beneficial for employers to share best practice, design recognised and transferrable standards that are suitable across the sector and include rigorous assessment process. As more employers consider offering apprenticeships this will encourage more students to consider apprenticeships and the associated future career opportunities. It will then be important to capture and publicise the benefits and successes for both employers and students.
Focus on rural areas
To provide access to high quality apprenticeships in all areas of the country, it is also vital that we focus our efforts on rural areas. In North Devon, I have been working with local training providers to look into the delivery of the apprenticeships in rural areas. This also requires providers to bring together employers including SMEs to ensure that the apprenticeships on offer meet the skills needs of the customers and are financially sustainable in the long term. Sharing examples where apprenticeships have already been successful in helping to close the skills gap will hopefully encourage other employers of the long term benefits to grow their own talent and support the technical skills shortage in more rural areas.
All in all, it is currently a very interesting time for apprenticeships and the development of skills capacity in local areas. In order to meet existing needs, we must make sure we work together across a range of areas to share our expertise and shape the future.
Dr Hilary Jeffreys CSci CChem FRSC works as Technical Transfer Manager at Actavis and is the Chair of our Admissions Committee. She is involved in numerous activities to promote science skills and was given the national Outstanding Leadership in Skills Award in 2014.