Listen to this article here
|
A programme pioneered in Greater Manchester to support more people into apprenticeships from under-represented groups has given 140 learners access to new opportunities.
The Removing Barriers to Apprenticeships programme was created by Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) in 2020 to help underrepresented groups, such as people from ethnic minorities, single parents and people with Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) access apprenticeships.
The programme, the results of which will be used to design future schemes, saw 147 people benefit from a £328,000 investment to aid local organisations attract, recruit and support new apprenticeships. By January 2022, 144 of the Removing Barriers to Apprenticeships participants had gone on to be recruited onto training projects, start an apprenticeship, or secure full-time employment.
The seven projects to have received funding include:
- Men in the Early Years – A collaboration between Kids Planet nursery provider and the Fatherhood Institute which offered 12 apprenticeship placements for men
- BAME Engineers – A total of 20 pre-apprenticeship places and 10 apprenticeships were offered to BAME young people to learn engineering skills in Rochdale
- SCC Supported Apprenticeships – Salford City Council, Salford City College, ForHousing and Career Connect created 10 supported apprenticeships for young SEND learners
- Single Parent TA’s – Rochdale Training, Rochdale Borough Council, Positive Steps and Job Centre Plus created Teaching Assistant apprenticeship placements for single parents
- Digital Supported Apprenticeship – The White Room, Total People, Manchester City Council and Pure Innovations developed placements in the digital sector for SEND young people
- Oldham 16–25-year-olds – Oldham Council, Northern Care Alliance and Positive Steps offered 10 placements to young people with additional barriers to employment
- Coldhurst Ward, Oldham – Single parents, people from ethnic minorities and those with mental health conditions living in the Coldhurst ward offered placements in Healthcare Assistant and Business Administration roles
Cllr Eamonn O’Brien, GMCA Portfolio Lead for Education, Skills, Work, Apprenticeships and Digital, said:
“In Greater Manchester, we want apprenticeships to be accessible to everyone. Your age, ethnicity or gender should not be a barrier to anybody wanting to progress in their career. However, nationally and in Greater Manchester, data shows that a number of underrepresented groups are not accessing apprenticeship opportunities and there is a lack of diversity among our apprentices.
“This report shows the Removing Barriers to Apprenticeships programme has been a huge success and we will now continue to use the results to inform future projects and create further opportunities for learners to access apprenticeships in the city-region, ensuring that all our residents can benefit from the opportunities available.”
The Removing Barriers to Apprenticeships funding forms part of a wider commitment in Greater Manchester to increase the number of high-quality apprenticeships available to our residents. GMCA will be using the findings of the programme report to inform future development and delivery. It is hoped new projects can be targeted for the biggest impact for Greater Manchester.