Blue Lion Training Academy is here to Involve, Improve & Inspire members of your team to help them unlock their true potential, benefitting themselves and their organisations. Here are some FAQs commonly asked by employers:
Ten most popular questions asked by an Employer…
What is the Creative Apprenticeship Network?
The Creative Apprenticeship Network (CAN), is a network of companies that work with Blue Lion Training Academy to remove the ‘T’ from CAN’T through TRAINING apprentices with real-life industry insights. The aim of this network is to equip apprentices trained by Blue Lion Training Academy, with the knowledge, skills, and behaviors that will help them thrive.
Can I join the Creative Apprenticeship Network?
Blue Lion Training Academy is a creative apprenticeship provider, so if you are a company that works in the creative and media space and can provide experience in the creative & digital media industry please email info@bluelionta.com to see how we can help each other.
We want to remove ‘T’ from CAN’T through TRAINING apprentices with real-life creative industry insights.
Our goal is to grow a network that will allow apprentices to get invaluable experience and insights throughout each apprenticeship program and drive continuous improvement.
What do I do about my apprentice training in response to COVID-19?
According to the government update “Apprentices can remain on their programme; they should continue to fulfil the minimum 20% off-the-job training entitlement. Off-the-job training can already be delivered flexibility at a time and way to suit the employer and apprentice (remote observations, distance learning, etc.)”
Things have changed… and training will be delivered 99% remotely and depending on when or if one of our trainers or assessors are required to come onsite, all government social distancing measures will be followed to ensure your apprentices get the best knowledge, skills and behaviours aligned to their apprenticeship.
How do I start with getting training for my current staff?
Upskilling your current staff is vital for new skills and a robust workforce. Blue Lion Training Academy can help guide you through the process of up-skilling current staff through skills gap analysis and interviews. This way we can find the best way to help you choose the right apprenticeship for your employees or new apprentice recruits.
If you need further guidance in finding the right apprenticeship course for your current employee(s), Call us on 01332 738 625 to speak to one of our team members.
How long will it take to upskill my staff on a specialised creative apprenticeship?
This depends on the course. Here are some of the creative apprenticeships we provide:
Level 3 – Junior Content Producer
Level 3 – Advertising & Media Executive
Level 4 – PR & Communications Assistant
Level 3 – Broadcast Production Assistant
To see how long each apprenticeship takes to deliver & gain the qualification, click on the one you are interested in, and you will be able to find the course duration in the course summary section further down the page.
How do I advertise a new vacancy for an Apprentice?
Well it’s easy…
Signup your company with the Digital Apprenticeship Services and once you have created your account find our UKPRN (10065784) and assign Blue Lion Training Academy to your new cohort and we will help you create the apprenticeship vacancy and take it from there… What to find out more, call or email us, or take a look at our funding policy.
What will my business benefit from employing an apprentice?
Apprenticeships help businesses across all industries by offering a cost-effective route to attract fresh talent and to invest in your company. The word “Apprentice” is someone who is learning new knowledge, skills, and behaviors. With an apprentice, you can invest in the growth of your company by either upskilling current staff or getting a new member of the team who has other skills they can bring to the company on top of what they are learning in the apprenticeship. This means that your apprentice will have the skills to apply to different responsibilities that will benefit the company.
According to data on National Apprentice Service, “92% of companies that have taken on apprentices believe this leads to a more motivated and satisfied workforce and 80% have seen a significant in employee retention”.
Another finding on National Apprentice Service was “81% consumers favor a company that takes on apprentices”, in addition to the government funds available to businesses, you will see a return on your investment.
How will getting an apprentice help my employees?
Hiring an apprentice or getting an existing employee to gain new knowledge, skills, and behaviours as part of an apprenticeship programme can help bring new insights for exiting employees and they can add value as a key team member.
Do I have to hire a new person on my team to do an apprenticeship?
No, a company can choose a current employee to get up-skilled through an apprenticeship, if they are aged 16 or over. This will allow your current staff to improve their knowledge, skills, and behaviors to grow within your company. Click here to see our Employer Handbook, which highlights how you can up-skill your existing staff on one of our 13 apprenticeships, along with details on how they are provided.
How do I Provide Access to the Apprentice Service Account?
You need to think about who you want to have access to your apprenticeship service account. You can control what each person can do.
You can give staff members permission to:
- approve apprenticeship data
- approve costs for training which are agreed with the training provider
- reconcile payments to training providers
- sign the agreement with ESFA
You should give at least one other team member full access. This means that if the account owner is on holiday or leaves the organisation, someone else can sign an agreement or make changes.
For help with your Apprentice Service Account, you can either:
- Visit the knowledge hub here for all things related to Apprenticeship Service
- Visit the actual Apprentices Service Account Page
- Search for help in the apprenticeship service (if you have an account) at any time
- Call (08000 150 600) or email (helpdesk@manage-apprenticeships.service.gov.uk) during their opening times
Opening times: 8 am to 8 pm, Monday to Friday.
However, if you are looking for help and it is related to one of our Creative Apprenticeships please feel free to call us on 01332 738 625