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Employer’s Guide to Foundation Skills Work Placements

Eccles49-51 Regent Street

Eccles Manchester

M30 0BP

Tel: 0161 785 2340

HarpurheyUnit 2, Burgess House

North City Shopping Centre (off Church Lane)

HarpurheyM9 1DH

Tel: 0161 205 6790

Longsight1 Stanley Grove

LongsightM12 4AA

Tel: 0161 225 4241

Sale3 Town Square

SaleM33 1XZ

Tel: 0161 972 2990

Stockport3rd Floor

Graylaw HouseChestergate

StockportSK1 1LZ

Tel: 0161 476 7400

TamesideUnits 7-10

Clarence ArcadeStamford Street

Ashton under LyneGtr Manchester

OL6 7PT

Tel: 0161 330 3652

WythenshaweUnit D&E

17 RowlandswayWythenshaweManchester

M22 5RN

Tel: 0161 437 1972

St HelensYMCA Building

Duke StreetSt HelensWA10 2TJ

Tel: 01744 750467

LiverpoolRoom 1

2nd Floor Gostin Buildings32 – 36 Hanover Street

LiverpoolL1 4LN

Tel: 0151 709 3403

RochdaleUnit 1 Heritage Business Park

Chichester StreetRochdale OL16 2AU

Tel: 01706 717860

Call us NOW for more information and ask to speak to a placement consultant.

Or you can log onto our website www.skills-solutions.org.uk for more details.

How can Employer’s benefit from Foundation Skills Work Placements

1036SS www.skills-solutions.org.ukwww.skills-solutions.org.uk

Foundation Skills offers a new more flexible way of learning for 16 -19 year olds.

The young person will agree an individual learning plan with their key worker to help them achieve entry level and level 1 qualifications and move onto level 2.

Foundation Skills Programmes give young people an opportunity to gain a variety of qualifications.

These have been developed with employers and are the same type of qualifications that are used in Apprenticeships. The qualifications are flexible to meet the abilities and aspirations of the young people and the employers’ requirements in response to the vocational sector.

The Foundation Skills programme includes a work placement for the young person. This involves the young person working towards accredited vocational and employability qualifications dependant on the young person’s ability and the requirements of the employment sector chosen, and the training on offer in your workplace.

The work placement gives employers the opportunity to train and trial potential employees before they commit to employing them. It saves employers time and money in staff recruitment and improves staff retention rates through an extended recruitment processes.

The work placement and qualifications undertaken can also contribute to the ‘Investors In People’ award.

The Foundation Skills programme will last for as long as it is beneficial to both the employer and the young person and the individual learning plan has been completed.

What is Foundation Skills? What are the benefits to the employer?Why should employers get involved?

How long do Foundation Skills programmes last?

Foundation Skills is valued by employers. The qualifications young people gain have been designed in partnership with employers and could cover any of these sector areas:

• Retail & Customer Services• Sport & Fitness • Health & Social Care• Business, Administration & ICT • Hair & Beauty Services • Motor Vehicle • Construction Trades • Hospitality & Leisure

There are 10 Foundation Skills centres across the North West, each with its own dedicated Placement Consultant. (These centres are listed at the back of this booklet).

The Placement Consultant from your local centre will provide you with the CV’s of potential candidates suited to and interested in working in your business sector.

You will then select and invite to interview appropriate candidates.

Following a successful interview, a programme that benefits your business and young persons requirements (i.e. days and hours of work, roles and targets etc) will then be drawn up between yourself, the young person and placement consultant.

There is no contractual obligation to keep a young person on a work placement if you feel it is not benefiting your business - it is designed to be a mutually beneficial arrangement. There is no obligation to offer employment to the young person, prior to the work experience. If it is in line with your business needs and the young person is the right candidate, then of course employment would be a good outcome.

The Placement Consultant will set targets for the young person, in conjunction with your business requirements which will be reviewed, with further targets set, at regular intervals. Qualifications undertaken in your workplace will be supported by qualified assessors from Skills Solutions.Placement Consultants are always available to help deal with any problems or issues that may arise.

The young people are supported by a learning grant whilst on work placement so there is no direct financial payment from the employer. The employer will be required to provide a safe working environment for the young person, which offers realistic work experience allowing them to undertake qualifications in the work place.

What kind of work will Foundation Skills prepare young people for?

How do employers select young people for work placements?

What happens if businesses change their mind about their young person’s work placement?

What support is the employer given once the young person starts?

What qualifications do the young people gain and how can it benefit my business?

What is the employer’s involvement? What will it cost my business?

Grafton House, Tameside

“I go to Grafton on a Friday and help give dinners to the elderly, I really enjoy it.”

Leeanne McKew, Learner, Aged 19

“Leeanne always works hard and is doing some good work at Grafton House. When at Bayley Hall Leeanne is currently learning the drinks counter and has expressed working to learn the till, handling money.”

Suzanne Close, Supervisor

Skills Solutions, Salford

“I have really enjoyed myself at Skills Solutions and the staff are really friendly. The things that I have achieved are that I have been on 2 work placements which has boosted my confidence in the work place, I have got some more qualifications while I have been here like Personal Finance, Health and Safety and Employability. I have learned new skills such as Healthy cooking, First Aid and Basic Food Hygiene. Skills Solutions is good for me because it is more relaxed than school as is helping me get my maths, English and ICT qualifications.”

Lee Hodgins, Learner, Aged 16 years

Peacocks, Cheetham Hill

“I love working at Peacocks because it is giving me a good feeling about the world of work. The staff are very friendly and helpful. I enjoy my time at Peacocks, though it can be very tiring. I’m learning a lot about the stock and work procedures whilst here”.

Romessa Ahmad, Learner, Aged 17 years

“Well done Romessa, you have fitted in well with the team and you are improving week by week”. It is great to have young people from Skills Solutions as they are dedicated and they want to learn.”

Kat Pope, Manager, Peacocks

RPB Motors, Stockport

“I have helped to get cars, panels and rims ready to be sprayed. I polish the cars after they have been sprayed. I would like to carry on.”

Dieter Dean, Learner, Aged 16 years

Offering young people work experience is a great way of assessing if the YP have the aptitude and attributes for this type of work”.

Owner, RPB Motors

Here’s what Foundation Skills Learners and Employers are saying about our Foundation Skills Programme

Rocking Horse Nursery, Newton Heath

“When I first started at Foundation Skills I hardly spoke to anyone but now I talk to people and feel more confident. I have now completed my Diploma and qualifications in Health and Safety and First Aid. I can still be shy at times but have slowly improved my confidence while being here.The placement at Rocking Horse nursery was safe and supported me when I was worried and felt nervous.”

Jade Howell, Learner, Aged 19 years

“The reason we offer Foundation Skills learners placements is to give them experience in their chosen field. We feel that the learners do progress whilst they are here and support them in their learning. It is clear to see that Foundation Skills staff are supportive to the learners and this is definitely the big difference between them and other providers.”

Kerry Farrow, Assistant Manager, Rocking Horse Nursery

Little Acorns Nursery, St Helens

“I like it at Little Acorns Nursery because I am learning new things every time I am in there. I like doing drawing with the children, playing in the sandpit , reading in groups and also reading one to one to toddlers. My favourite activity in the nursery is dressing up time with all the toddlers. I like the fact that Jo (Placement Consultant) comes out every 2-3 weeks to do a review and see how I am getting on and she makes me laugh.”

Nicole Vero, Learner, Aged 17 years

“I have worked with Skills Solutions for over a year now and have had excellent young people from Skills Solutions. I feel that this is my way of giving something back to the community and helping the young people of today when

times are tough. I feel Jo the Placement Consultant helps the young people during their journey on placement offering help and support when needed. I would highly recommend Skills Solutions to any company looking to take on placements.”

Leslie Stephenson, Manager, Little Acorns Nursery

Shaftesbury Youth Club, Liverpool

We consider Josh as part of the team here at the Shafts ,his work with the under nines football team is something he should be proud of.

Paul Shredder, Football Coach

Packsback PPE Suppliers. Liverpool

We are more than happy to have given Ashleigh the opportunity of a work placement, she is a credit to your organisation and may sometime in the future be in a position to offer her full time employment.

Jan Dalski, Office Manager

Pinks Hairdressers, The Wirral

I am pleased to have forged links with Skills Solutions over the past 2 years with regards to your work experience programme and will gladly facilitate any future students you may care to put forward.

Louise Johnson, Owner

Here’s what Foundation Skills Learners and Employers are saying about our Foundation Skills Programme