6 fail-safe ways to market training to employees

Dispelling the myth that Apprenticeships are just for young school leavers and inspiring your existing workforce to want to do an Apprenticeship can be difficult but the Levy provides you with the opportunity to map existing training across to an Apprenticeship or risk losing the investment altogether. Read our 6 fail-safe tips to marketing Apprenticeships internally.

Get rid of the word Apprenticeship: Despite doing all we can to change the perception of Apprenticeships, the name still is still associated with young school leavers indeed the Oxford English Dictionary refers to an Apprentice as ‘A person who is learning a trade from a skilled employer, having agreed to work for a fixed period at low wages’.  Re-brand it internally as a ‘Work-Based Training Programme’ ‘Management Programme’ ‘Retail Training Programme’.

Get an expert in: We know you know it all, from the content of the Customer Service Practitioner to the EPA, but bringing in a new face for a presentation day or for a few informal chats with your rising stars will create a buzz and a bit of curiosity around what you’re doing.

Apprenticeship Discounts: Did you know that Apprentices are eligible for an Apprentice Extra NUS card? Offering discounts on brands such as Amazon, Alton Towers, Pizza Express and many more. Although you want your staff to be committed to the training and not just doing it for the freebies, we all love a discount!

Pick your Rising Stars but offer it out to everyone: Apprenticeships are a great confidence booster especially for the future leaders in your organisation. Undertaking a Team Leader/ Supervisor Apprenticeship can provide a great starting point and provide them with support and a place to turn too when their struggling. By offering them out to everyone, you may be surprised who takes you up on the opportunity: We’ve seen even the most timid characters come into their own.Learning-Development-Level-5-Flyer.pdf

Integrate Apprenticeships into a personal development plan: The great thing about new Apprenticeship Standards is that they’re more flexible than the old frameworks and so can be tailored to a specific job. Integrating an Apprenticeships into a personal development plan is a great way of encouraging and monitoring the progress of individuals. Working towards a mutual goal is a win-win for both the learner and the employer. The learner will receive their qualification and feel invested in: whilst the organisation will benefit from more confident, more productive employees in addition to reduced turnover rates.

Get managers on-board: We believe getting managers on board is essential if Apprenticeships are to work within your business. One way of doing this is to bring your training provider in for a presentation with Senior Managers, to help answer any questions they may have and showcase what’s out there and how they can benefit. Why not offer them the chance to get CMI Chartered? Higher Management Apprenticeships will deliver further benefits beyond the life of their training including CPD with access to the latest studies on management skills. 

We also provide advice and guidance for Apprentice’s line managers so that they understand the commitment and benefits the qualification will bring, we believe it’s important to have their support especially if the business is spread over a number of sites.

Want to know more about our CMI certified Management Programmes visit our Management Page and download our Factsheet or call us today on 0808 100 1155.