NITP Tamworth were eagerly awaiting the BBC Event at Media City and were not disappointed! The event was very well organised; full of informative and useful presentations and a celebrity appearance to cap it all off!
Our apprentices on reflection felt that they had become even closer as a group and been given a unique opportunity to see a business packed full of technology in an everyday setting.
What’s more coming home after winning the ‘Inter-academy challenge’, they were very pleased with the day! Deservedly so!
One apprentice said ‘I never realised how much IT would be used in the BBC, it was amazing’
Another said ‘It was really well organised and I learnt a lot about other people’
One employer – Rich Bishop from The Rich Media Company’ said ‘I felt like a proud parent when I was looking out for my apprentice. I think all of the employers felt the same way. It was great to see all the apprentices enjoying themselves and for them to hear from the inspirational speakers that were there’
Cath Harvey – AM said ‘It was a long yet enjoyable day. It was great to see the apprentices mixing from across the academies, but the victory for Tamworth in the inter-academy challenge made it even sweeter. Not that I’m competitive!’
Sam Ryall RE said ‘It was a really enjoyable day. It was great to see so many apprentices and employers taking part in all of the activities and working together as a team’

NITP Tamworth organised a charity fundraising fancy dress day at their academy on Friday 15th March in aid of Comic Relief. The event was suggested by Abi Jackson one of NITP Tamworth’s apprentices and involved a number of activities throughout the day. First of all there was a collection around the Tamworth campus of South Staffordshire College. Secondly apprentices took part in a charity computer related quiz and lastly they performed, edited and uploaded their very own version of the Harlem Shake!

The day was highly successful and raised £260 with the kind generosity of NITP directors matching the money that the apprentice had made on the day.

On 12th March staff and apprentices from Liverpool Nitp Academy attended the Gold standard Apprenticeship event held at the BBC North Head Office in Manchester. The event was a great success and the apprentices learnt how the BBC use IT and Technology to improve efficiency and develop in the 21st century.
Annette Collins, Academy Manager said, ‘It was a fantastic event for the Apprentices which gave them the opportunity to work in teams , meet other apprentices and gain an insight into technology at the BBC’.
Paul Snellgrove, Trainer added,‘An interesting and valuable experience for all apprentices,  which gave them an opportunity to develop transferable skills that will help them now and in the future.  The event speakers gave a small insight into why technology needs to be integrated with other departments if the organisation is going to be successful’.
The Apprentices from the NITP Academy that attended the event were unanimous it was a ‘Very educational day and a good team building event‘.

As part of National Apprenticeships Week the National Apprenticeship Service are publishing a daily update about their Apprenticeship providers and their activities this week. Included in this update on Tuesday was the AAP Accountancy Cat that has been tweeted on  @AAP_England. The National Apprenticeship Service web editors liked the promotional figure for the 3AAA site and its positive impact for ‘retweets’ and attracting interest from Apprenticeship students.
The National Apprenticeship Service has also recently updated their Hall of Fame of previous apprentices that are fine examples of what can be achieved when starting a career.  Included in this update is 3AAA Director, Peter Marples who started his career completing the AAT Apprenticeship programme.  The National Apprenticeship service Hall of Fame is a great model to all young people beginning a career to highlight just how far you can go without traditional degree routes.

To celebrate National Apprenticeship Week, nearly 70 new apprentices descended on the BBC Academy’s state-of-the-art facilities at MediaCityUK, Salford, on Tuesday for a National Skills Academy for IT event. With inspirational speakers and breakout sessions, the day developed the apprentices’ professional skills and gave them an insight into the exciting opportunities that lie ahead in their IT careers.

The apprentices work mainly for small and medium sized employers (SMEs) in Liverpool, Nottingham, Tamworth and Walsall, but as part of their training programme get to pilot the National Skills Academy for IT Gold Standard Apprenticeship. This is being designed with employers to help apprentices integrate into the workplace and gain technical and professional skills more quickly.

Through the pilot, apprentices are trialling a variety of unique activities, including events supported by leading organisations such as the BBC. These enable apprentices to hear motivational talks from senior technology experts, meet their peers and work in teams to solve problems and develop communication skills – areas that IT apprenticeships do not always cover.

Speaking at the event was BBC Technology Controller, Tiffany Hall, who gave the apprentices an insight into the complex technology behind the corporation’s broadcasting, including its live coverage of last year’s nationwide Olympic Torch Relay.

She said: “Apprenticeships are becoming an increasingly important way for technology companies of all sizes to recruit talented young people and give them the skills they need to excel in this fast paced industry. We recruit apprentices at the BBC, but through today’s event, we’re also delighted to be helping those who work for smaller employers develop new skills and celebrate their achievements during National Apprenticeship Week.”

From BBC North, Ken Lee, Human Resources Director, and Tim Sargeant, Head of Technology, also spoke, discussing the latest technology trends and the possibilities that an IT career can bring. The apprentices also had the opportunity to ask more experienced higher apprentices from Visa Europe for advice on career progression.

The variety of talks and breakout sessions was welcomed by the apprentices. One said: “It was a very good day - I gained a lot of new ideas and took every opportunity to progress myself.” Another added: “It was inspiring to see what I could achieve.”

The event took place as part of National Apprenticeship Week – an annual celebration of apprenticeships and the positive impact they have on individuals, businesses and the economy. It is taking place for the sixth time in 2013, from 11 to 15 March.

During the week employers can visit www.growyourownIT.com or call 0845 226 3724 for further information about recruiting an apprentice, including the financial incentives available, such as a £1,500 government grant for smaller businesses. Apprentices can also find out more by visiting www.itskillsacademy.ac.uk/apprenticeships.

The apprentices were recruited through a partnership between the National Skills Academy for IT, BT and training provider, NITP, which has received co-investment from the UK Commission for Employment and Skills via the Growth and Innovation Fund.

Notes to Editors
For media enquiries, please contact Luke Nava at luke.nava@e-skills.com or on 07881 313 975.

About the National Skills Academy for IT

The National Skills Academy for IT is an independent and not-for-profit organisation, guided by major IT employers. It exists for the good of the whole IT sector to promote excellence in IT professional learning and development.
The IT Skills Academy is led by e-skills UK, the Sector Skills Council for Business and Information Technology.

www.itskillsacademy.ac.uk

About the BBC Academy
The BBC Academy is the BBC’s centre for training. It houses the Colleges of Journalism, Production, Leadership and the Centre of Technology. As well as training BBC staff, it also has a remit under the terms of the BBC’s Charter Agreement to train the wider industry.  
The BBC Academy aims to share as much of its training as possible with the wider UK broadcasting industry for free. It also offers some of its courses on a commercial basis, both within the UK and abroad.
www.bbc.co.uk/academy

New apprenticeships to be created in Milton Keynes

A partnership that has created over 200 it apprentice jobs across England in the last six months is launching in Milton Keynes to make it easier for smaller employers to recruit apprentices and give young people the opportunity to work and to learn.

The national Skills Academy for IT, leading apprenticeship employer, BT and training provider, NiTP, are working together and plan to create at least 25 new apprentice jobs in Milton Keynes by the beginning of April.

The apprentices will benefit from training, which is quality assured by BT, relevant to employers needs and delivered by NITP at its Milton Keynes academy on Silbury Boulevard.

Peter Marples, Director, NITP, says, “Apprenticeships give organisations the opportunity to grow their own IT talent simply and cost effectively, while for young people, they offer a great first step on the career ladder and the chance to work hard, gain valuable qualifications and earn a wage. As such, we’re proud to be creating more of them in Milton Keynes”.

The new recruits will get to pilot the IT gold standard apprenticeship – a new programme, which is being designed to help apprentices integrate into the workplace and gain technical and professional skills more quickly.

During National Apprenticeship Week, employers can visit www.growyourownIT.com or call 0845 226 3724 for further information about recruiting an apprentice through the partnership. This includes the financial incentives available, such as a £1,500 government grant for smaller businesses.

Source - Milton Keynes Citizen

We've joined the geek squad this week as we have tapped into the world of jobs in IT. We find the sectors with vacancies, bringing you the lowdown on who is recruiting, where the jobs are and let you know what the work's really like.

As part of our Get Britain Working campaign, we have found 36,308 IT jobs up for grabs, with more becoming ­available every day.

“Businesses of all sizes throughout the country are crying out for IT personnel,” says Karen Price of e-skills UK, the sector skills council for business and IT.

In fact, 129,000 people are needed to fill IT jobs every year and one way to get on the first rung of the ladder is to opt for an apprenticeship.

“Not only are you learning new skills, you’re gaining business ­experience and working towards valuable qualifications. And you’re making a career in one of the most dynamic and fast-growing sectors.”

With companies relying on ­technology, now is the time to find a job in IT. Check out www.e-skills.com and ­ www.itskillsacademy.ac.uk .

WORKER'S VIEW

THIS time last year, Damion Wright was still at school getting ready for his GCSEs and planning to go to college to study A-levels.

But that all changed. Damion has just got back from a month in Rome as part of his job as a software developer apprentice in Tamworth, Staffordshire.

"It's hard to believe how much my life has changed," says the 17- year-old. "I spend every other week at college and the rest of my time at work for Gen2Systems, which develops aviation software. Everything I learn at college, I get to put in to put into practice at work. I'm also managing a team of developers in India with the guidance of my own manager. It is fantastic."

"I'd always imagined going on to study IT at Warwick University," he says. "But once I got back into the classroom again, I realised I'd had enough."

Looking on the National Apprenticeship website (www.apprenticeships.org.uk) he discovered the NiTP Microsoft IT Academy in Tamworth and applied.

"They accepted me on the course and then helped me find a company to take me on. By October I was studying and had my job. I didn't mind the classroom this time round - everything I was learning had a purpose."

Within weeks, he was asked whether he fancied joining colleagues on the trip to Italy to help digitise the maintenance records of planes. The trip, combined with his studies and the varied nature of his job, have hooked Damion firmly into the world of IT.

"This year I should get my Technical Diploma Level 3 and Level 3 in Professional Competence and I have been told there will be a job available if all goes well. After that, it's more work and qualifications. I have found a wonderful career and love it."

WHERE ARE THE JOBS?

Specialist IT job sites feature ­thousands of vacancies. We found 7,990 jobs at www.theitjobboard.co.uk which include jobs such as a data analyst for the NHS in London (£350 a day), desktop support in Birmingham (from £12 an hour), a senior developer in Liverpool (from £30,000), a junior Java developer in Manchester (from £24,000), a service desk analyst in Edinburgh (£100 a day) and a software support and installations ­engineer in Belfast (from £26,000). At www.­fish4jobs.co.uk there are 461 jobs ranging from IT support in London (£26,000) and a web ­developer in Chatham, Kent (£25,000) to a ­developer in Saltash, Cornwall (up to £28,000) and help desk support in Manchester (from £18,000).

We spotted another 10,706 jobs at www.cwjobs.co.uk – which represents companies such as Royal Mail and Heathrow Airport. Jobs include an IT services administrator in North West London (from £20,250), a computing support manager in Bath (from £30,424) and an infrastructure ­solutions team leader in Aberdeen (from £37,887).

At www.reed.co.uk there are 12,356 IT jobs including 1,750 ­software developers, 1,242 web developers and 428 engineers from a sales force ­administrator in West Sussex (from £32,000) to a graduate web ­developer in ­Bournemouth (from £18,000). We found 4,795 jobs at www.gov.uk/jobsearch including 1,544 ­database assistants and clerks and 1,051 ­software professionals. Jobs range from an apprentice in Scarborough (£2.65 an hour) to a delivery team leader in London (up to £53,750).

PAY

Average weekly ­earnings vary from £350 for database assistants and clerks (£18,200 per annum) to £810 for ICT Managers (£42,120). As an IT ­helpdesk professional, starting salaries begin from £13,000 to £16,000 a year. ­Salaries for computer and IT support technicians start between £17,000 and £20,000 a year.

GETTING STARTED

Visit Big ­Ambition (www.bigambition.co.uk) which highlights where to look for training advice and jobs. To learn and earn at the same time visit www.apprenticeships.org.uk to find hundreds of opportunities. Various initiatives such as NiTP (www.nitp.co.uk), aim to boost recruitment for women, young people or career changers.

Are you 16-18 and interested in a career in IT?  NiTP has over 100 employers across the UK with companies interested in taking on an IT Apprentice NOW!  Our Gold Standard IT Apprenticeship has been developed in partnership with BT, the National Skills Academy for IT and e-Skills.  This partnership has already created hundreds of IT job opportunities for young people and has set a target to create a further 350 in 2013.  If you want to find out about how to apply for an Apprenticeship in IT then apply now and we will talk you through the vacancies in your area.  Call us today on 0844 5043174 for details.  www.nitp.co.uk

In the past we have taken on graduates for our marketing dept and this has always been successful for us, resulting in us employing one such graduate who is still working for us. We tend to appoint graduates every couple of years as one placement ends we commence another as each and every one have brought different perspective and skill set with them. Apprentices’ are hardworking, eager to learn, react quickly to change and absorb new information quickly and turn it into successful work output. They contribute new ideas by having a different perspective on the business once they have learnt a bit more about it.

This is the first time we have taken on an accountancy apprentice, the reason being that we are finding that department now needs to influx of talent that the marketing dept has enjoyed. As company Manager and qualified ACCA member I know how important and valuable these apprenticeships can be having enjoyed the same experience many years ago! There is nothing better to assist your studies than real life examples in the workplace.

We have already set Daniel on numerous tasks and some with high responsibility as he is eager to learn and highly motivated. He is picking up instructions very quickly and asking all the right questions! He has being doing in his first week, bank reconciliations, payments, purchase ledger input and payment record, Assisting with KPI’s and now we are showing him how to deal with invoice queries.

Next we are moving him onto compiling certain schedules for the management accounts. We hope that Daniel will continue to progress with us and if he continues as he is on his developmental curve there may also be employment opportunities here for him.

We are really pleased with Daniel’s appointment and we think he will progress quickly with us and his studies!

In October 2012, Liverpool-based award winning and Gold standard IIP firm Wilson Henry LLP, Chartered Accountants and Business Advisors embarked on a journey with two young apprentices.

As a firm, Wilson Henry recognise that there needs to be diverse entry into the accountancy profession and so actively chose to take on apprentices through the Apprenticeship Scheme to give opportunities to school leavers who did not want to take the conventional route of university graduate entry.

Since working with Wilson Henry, Jamie and James have been a valuable asset to the firm working with Wilson Henry client teams to assist on accounting assignments using leading edge software and technology.

Wilson Henry have given Jamie and James the opportunity to get AAT qualifications  and then progress on and complete their ICAEW or ACCA exams through the firm.

Hilene Henry, CEO for the firm comments: “ We are delighted with the concept and practical operation of the Apprenticeship scheme which combines practical on the job experience with day release studies – with the right attitude and application school leavers can carve a very fulfilling and rewarding career in the world of business through becoming qualified accountants”.