Union and employers back 'gold standard' scheme to produce work-ready youngsters

Amy Stubbs from Cranswick and Graham Randle from the GMB with HETA trainees Abbie Goodrum (17) from Hessle and George Groves (18) from Hedon.

ONE of the biggest employers in East Yorkshire and one of the UK’s leading trade unions have given their backing to a traineeship scheme which aims to help young people bridge the gap between school and apprenticeships.

Cranswick Plc and the GMB union were joined by the Humber Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) in endorsing the scheme which has been developed by Humberside Engineering Training Association (HETA).

Kishor Tailor, the LEP’s Chief Executive, said the scheme gives all of the partners an opportunity to support businesses in the Humber region by improving employability and producing young people who are ready for work.

He said: “We are in a global competition when we are trying to bid for new business in our patch so let’s work together and make it happen.”

The GMB selected HETA’s premises in Hull to showcase the traineeships which it sees as a key tool in helping employers cope with current and future skills shortages.

Craig Stuart, the GMB’s Regional Educational and Health and Safety Officer, told an audience of employers that a drive to encourage businesses to set up apprenticeships had its roots in a successful bid to the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills for money for the Union Learning Fund.

He said: “We wanted to try and convince employers to set up quality apprenticeship schemes. We thought it would be quite difficult to get employers to recognise the importance of planning ahead and getting young people into their industries but many said they had been thinking about it for a long time but had not done anything about it.

“They had thought about things like the aging workforce and losing skills and the need for a five to 10 year plan for their industry and we were surprised by that, although some are still dragging their heels.

“The HETA model is non-exploitative and is a gold standard that organisations envy. Hopefully other organisations will see that and share the same model. This is a key partnership that will hopefully secure brighter and better futures for people in this area.”

A key feature of the HETA traineeship programme is the level of communication with employers. Attendance, punctuality and discipline are among the attributes which are emphasised, and there is even an outward bound element to promote team-building.

During the six-month course trainees spend one day a week with an employer and then complete a three-week work placement. Many secure apprenticeships with employers before the end of their programme.

Amy Stubbs, Training Personnel Supervisor at Preston, near Hull, for the £1 billion-turnover Cranswick Plc, has a number of HETA apprentices within a workforce of 1,500.

She said: “We wanted to improve communication so we started looking at bringing our apprentices to Cranswick every Friday to meet our team and start building a relationship. They need that exposure to the workplace and this model fits incredibly well so we will be discussing it further and looking at adopting it in other areas of our business.”

Mr Tailor referred to the challenges facing Hull and the Humber and urged the GMB, HETA and employers to build on their work while the LEP continues its efforts to change perceptions of the region.

He said: “One of our biggest challenges is about our image in the Humber, to get new employers and businesses here, create more jobs here and get people to come and live here. You talk to businesses who have grown up here and they are passionate about the place. They don’t want to go anywhere else.

“But businesses tell us that skills and employability are big issues. If you can’t get people to turn up on time and show motivation they are not going to get the jobs. This collaboration between HETA and the GMB addresses that.”

James McIntosh, Business Development and Marketing Manager at HETA, said: “We are working with the GMB to promote awareness of our traineeship scheme and of the young people. We also want to help the GMB’s representatives who go out to talk to employers abut apprenticeships. This partnership will help us grow our number of client companies and get more trainees into employment.”

Kishor Tailor told the audience that there is an opportunity to support businesses in the Humber region by improving employability and producing young people who are ready for work.