A new partnership between the National Skills Academy for IT, training provider NITP, and leading apprenticeship employer BT, has created 100 new apprentice jobs for young people with small to medium sized employers. A further 450 roles are planned for 2013.
The 100 apprentices will benefit from training quality assured by BT, which will be delivered by NITP at their local Further Education colleges in Liverpool, Tamworth, Oxford, Nottingham and St. Albans.
The 100 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. This means they will work towards clearly defined, in-demand job roles and trial a personal development experience, comprising a ‘virtual campus’ website and employer-supported events.
Karen Price, e-skills UK CEO, said: “We are delighted that, through this new partnership with BT and NITP, 100 new jobs have been created for young people in IT roles that are in high demand among employers. Making the recruitment of apprentices by smaller organisations an easier and more attractive option is helping them develop the skilled workforce needed to drive their businesses forward.”
A further 450 new apprenticeship roles are planned for 2013. These will be in the five current locations, plus Bedford, Portsmouth and Walsall initially, followed by Birmingham and Milton Keynes later in the year.
The partnership received co-investment from the UK Commission for Employment and Skills via the Growth and Innovation Fund.