Agenda item

To consider item 12

The Organisational Development Manager advised that this report presented an update to Members on the Authority’s apprenticeship programme, its current funding arrangements, and future opportunities. This update provides an overview of the apprenticeship journey, the range of apprenticeship subject areas, and also brought up to date current numbers enrolled on programmes and future plans.

The report showed details of the levy payments and spending, and highlights that because the Authority had been so effective in fully utilising its levy, it had now entered into co-funding arrangements with the department of education, where they fund 95% of the apprenticeship cost and the Authority funds the other 5%.

The Organisational Development department were currently exploring other potential funding options. It was possible for levy paying employers to transfer a percentage of their unused levy funds to other employers. The team had reached out to local colleges within Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes, who the Authority deliver its apprenticeship programmes through, as well as other fire and rescue services, to determine if this would be a viable option for the Authority. The enrolment numbers showed the Authority had consistently exceeded the public sector target of 2.3% of its workforce in new starts each year.

The Organisational Development Manager advised Members that last week was National Apprenticeship Week, and the Communications Team had run case studies on all social media platforms of current apprentices in various roles across the organisation, and the positive experiences they were having. The Service also attended the NFCC National Apprenticeship Conference, and spoke to other services on how they recruit, train and deliver their apprenticeships.

The Organisational Development Manager advised Members that this update showcased the success of the Authority’s apprenticeship programme, the level of investment in new and existing staff across the Service and how it could enable succession planning, resilience, and future proofing by recruiting and training apprentices into a number of roles across the organisation. The energy, enthusiasm, and diversity that apprentices bring to the roles benefits the organisation, whilst enabling the Authority to show them what it can offer as an employer and a career within the fire and rescue service.

The Chairman stated that the performance of the Service with new starters against the government target was the best he had seen, and the Service should be incredibly proud, not only the number of apprenticeships, but the mix of apprenticeships that were being delivered.

The Chairman congratulated the way in which the Service conducted itself through National Apprenticeship Week, the social media was superb, with some excellent case studies showing both diversity in terms of gender and an excellent neurodiversity case study as well.

The Chairman felt apprenticeships were a really great way of driving diversity in the workplace, both in terms of age, and other characteristics and it would be helpful if in future reports, some of these statistics could be included.

The Chairman was also  supportive of a concerted effort from the Authority in approaching large national employers, particularly those based in Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes, to ask for support with levy transfer, because there was a significant underspend with some of those larger employers.

RESOLVED –

That the information contained within this update is noted.