Leeds City Council spoke at the Northern National Apprenticeship Week (#NAW2014) partners event about their role as: - An apprentice employer - A promoter of Apprenticeships - A co-ordinator of Apprenticeships across the city

1. Leeds City Council
Employer Perspective

2. Context-City Wide
□ Leeds City
Council –Employer perspective
□ Leeds City Council’s commitments to
Apprenticeships is reflected throughout its key
strategic documents and remain as a key
priority for the city
□ Currently there are 221 apprentices across the
organisation in 5 differing directorates
undertaking a range of frameworks

3. Benefits
□ Increasing resources via a bespoke business
facing service with specific responsibilities for
Apprenticeship starts.-Employment Leeds
□
□ Working with providers in the creation of new
frameworks in response to business needs
which had not previously been involved in
delivery of apprenticeships

4. Benefits
□ Embedding Apprenticeships as an integral part
of recruitment and workforce development
strategy
□ Commissioning the delivery of pre
Apprenticeship programmes
□ A fully embedded recruitment strategy for key
areas of the businesses

5. Benefits
□ Supported over the years a sustainable
workforce development route for front line
services
□ Flexibility of Apprenticeships to meet
ongoing/future skills needs of the business
□
□ Addressing the age profile of the workforce
through targeted initiatives

6. Benefits continued
□ recruitment to a real vacancy with commitment
to the salary for the role starting at £12,614
□ recognition for contribution in the work place Leeds Apprenticeship Awards introduced Feb
2012.
□ recognition for contribution to the Council
through staff awards - dedicated apprentice
category as of November 2012.

7. □ LCC role as a Strategic Enabler

8. forefront of a strategic partnership
□ supporting businesses which secure major
contracts from the Council to include
apprentices within their workforce
□ supporting developers to sign planning
agreements to provide Apprenticeships in both
the construction phase and supply chain

9. □ working with partners in the Leeds City Region
Local Enterprise Partnership to seek additional
funding and flexibilities to deliver more
Apprenticeships which meet local business
needs – e.g. City Deal

11. Apprenticeship Hub: Background
□
30th January 2013, Alan Gay, Director of Resources agreed to
receive the City Deal grant of £4.6m for this element of the City
Deal programme and, for Leeds to act as the accountable body
on behalf of the LEP. From there Hubs were established in each
of the key cities in Leeds City Region
□
Leeds, Bradford, Calderdale, Wakefield, Kirklees, Sheffield,
Barnsley, York and North Yorkshire
□
Apprenticeship Training Agencies in Leeds and Bradford only
□
Funding until October 2015
□
Increase number of SME offering apprenticeships, increase
apprenticeship starts

12. Leeds Apprenticeship Hub
□ Team- Apprenticeship Hub manager, 16-18
Apprenticeship Hub Coordinator
□ Leeds Apprenticeship Hub sits within the Employment
Leeds team gaining support form employer account
managers and existing service delivery
□ Supported by National Apprenticeship Service

13. Hub Activity
□
Call Centre Sessions
□
Area & City Centre Events
□
SME Call Centre Sessions
□
Sub Planning Group/Area
Events
□
Winning Applications
□
Vacancy Distribution
□
School Engagement

14. Call Centre Sessions
□
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Aim:
 Identify and make contact with NEET Young People (YP) to
fill provider Apprenticeship vacancies
How:
 Provision of lists of NEET YP in Leeds aged 16-19
 Providers can contact NEET YP directly to offer interviews
Achieved:
 38 offers to interview
 NEET to EET: 41
 cross referrals between providers
Future Developments:
 Increase frequency – now being scheduled to take place
every two weeks

15. SME Call Centre Sessions
□
□
□
Aim:
 To increase the number of employers offering Apprenticeship
vacancies
How:
 Facilitate collective contacts with SMEs in Leeds
 Provision of companies data and warm leads
 Encourage cross referral between providers
 This includes strict protocols on ensuring relevant evidence
is captured and partners who participate will introduce
themselves from Leeds Apprenticeship Hub.
Future Developments:
 Seek agreement from providers
 Source premises, agree frequency and arrange first session

16. Winning Applications
Workshops
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Aim:
 Assist YP to make successful applications for
apprenticeship job vacancies
How:
 register YP onto www.apprenticeships.org.uk site
 Assist YP to search and apply for vacancies
 Provide support, guidance, hints and tips
Achieved:
 Four set sessions; East, South, West, City Centre. 14
sessions delivered to date
 35 attendees submitting improved applications
Future Developments:
 Booked appointments
 IAG support
 Delivery to a captive audience
 Mapping of pre Apprenticeship activity to support

17. School Engagement
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Aim:
 To increase awareness of Apprenticeships
How:
 Presentations to schools learners and staff
 Workshops/interactive workshops
 Drop in sessions
 Careers/progression Fairs
 Apprenticeship displays
 Apprenticeship Ambassadors
 Apprenticeship Vacancy Registration/Application Process
sessions
Achievements:
 26 learner events delivered to date
Future Developments:
 Display boards in each school showing upcoming
vacancies and workshops available.

18. Target Audience
Activity
Partners Responsible
Suggested Duration
Young People
Presentation to full year groups (via assemblies)
National Apprenticeship Service
Training providers
Apprenticeship Hub
30mins to 1 hour
Group sessions/workshops (practical sessions to vary in duration
and numbers)
Lunchtime drop in sessions
National Apprenticeship Service
Training providers
30mins
Taster and Tour sessions
Training providers
30mins to 1 hour
Apprenticeship Ambassadors
National Apprenticeship Service 30mins
Education Business Partnerships
Apprenticeship Vacancy Register/application process
National Apprenticeship Service
Training providers
Apprenticeship Hub
1 hour – full day whole
year groups
Input at Senior Management Team Mtg
Apprenticeship Hub
Input at staff meeting
Apprenticeship Hub
Apprenticeship Academy School Engagement Offer
Apprenticeship Hub
10mins +10mins
Discussion
10mins +10mins
Discussion
Up to 3 hours
Employing an apprentice in school
Apprenticeship Hub
10mins+10mins
Discussion
Parents
Stand - Careers Evenings
Post 16 Option Evening
Parents Evening
Yr 9 Option Evening
National Apprenticeship Service
Training providers
Apprenticeship Hub
As required
Governors
Input at Governing Body meeting
Apprenticeship Hub
Input at Head Teacher/Governor Briefings
Apprenticeship Hub
10mins +10mins
Discussion
10mins +10mins
Discussion
Groups of schools (cluster, feeder, partnerships).
Staff in School
□To book a session please e mail Nicholas.hart@leeds.gov.uk or simon.hewitson@leeds.gov.uk or ring 0113 247 6220
□
□Please also encourage your learners to fill in our new ‘I’m interested’ form available on the work and apprenticeships tab from the
Leeds Pathways homepage. They will then be contacted directly by a training provider in Leeds that can talk to them about the area they

19. Area & City Centre Events
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Aim:
 Increase awareness of Apprenticeships across the city
How:
 Organising local recruitment fairs
 Display stands in city centre locations
 Attendance at events organised by partners, e.g. Job
Centre Plus
Achieved:
 Leeds Apprenticeship Evening – engaged over 1000 YP
 Pudsey area event - 26th Nov with every secondary in
West and inner N/W attending
Future Developments:
 Partner with Youth Hub Roadshow events to ensure
different areas and City Centre have coverage
 E/NE and South events

20. Sub Planning Group/
Breakfast Meetings
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Aim:
 To involve key partners in planning and organising events
across the city
How:
 Meeting facilitated by the hub every six weeks
 Breakfast meetings every quarter to network, share good
practice and deliver hub updates
Future Developments:
 Increase attendance
 Attendance by regional hubs (Bradford, Wakefield etc.) to
share best practice

21. Vacancy Distribution
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Aim
 To increase the number of applicants
How:
 Capture NAS data, sift geographically & circulate to key
personnel: LCC job shops, schools, cluster managers, locality
based PA’s, parents
Achieved:
 Area sorting achieved & feedback from Area Leadership
Teams confirmed that data is more user friendly
Future Developments:
 Sort data by sector

22. Leeds Online Sorting System
□
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Aim
To improve access to information on apprenticeships /traineeships and
to allow young people to register an interest
□
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How
Set up via Leeds pathways – online prospectus which has over
100,000 hits per year. New apprenticeship area developed
Has new teacher/parent/professional area from which schools can
book apprenticeship sessions
YP can send in CV. This will be sent to a provider that currently
delivers relevant framework or has a relevant live vacancy . May also
be sent on directly to employers where appropriate
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Achieved
2085 hits in November. 35 CVs forwarded to Providers
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Future Developments
Being extended to include young people up to 24.

27. Consultation
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Challenges/ issues?
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Recap on future developments?
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Suggestions?