Businesses in the West Midlands have been warned that they are in danger of falling behind the rest of the country in the race for growth. Six Steps to Skilling – created by the Semta Apprenticeship Service aims to help the region catch up and keep apace with competitors. The Government has pledged to create 3 million new apprenticeships during this Parliament.

Whilst many large companies’ apprenticeship schemes are hugely oversubscribed small and medium sized enterprises struggle to attract the right young people to learn the trade – and help propagate growth.

Al Parkes, Chief Operating Officer for Semta, which is engineering skills for the future said that the West Midlands would be among the first regions in the UK to be supported by the campaign.

“Our research shows that the region has a particularly acute problem – and we are geared up to make a tangible difference to the situation.

“SMEs in the West Midlands could be left behind in the race for growth – so we have created a programme to give them a chance to catch up with the rest of the country.

“Many large employers in the region have apprenticeship schemes that are grossly over-subscribed – but these applicants are not finding their way down the supply chain to the thousands of businesses crying out for young talent.”

Semta’s Six Steps to Skilling are:

Step 1

Believe in the hype – appointing an apprentice really does bring substantial benefits to a business by increasing productivity and building a motivated loyal workforce – and securing the talent pipeline

Step 2

Get Access to all Available Funding – The Semta Apprenticeship Service will help businesses ensure that all available avenues are available to them

Step 3

Get the Right Apprentice – the one-stop-shop for skills takes care of the whole recruitment process from pre-selection to appointment using www.getmyfirstjob.co.uk

Step 4

Don’t be Put Off by Bureaucracy – Semta takes care of all the daunting paperwork

Step 5

Make Sure Your Apprenticeship is Right for Your Business – the Semta Apprenticeship Service creates finely honed bespoke programmes for each individual enterprise

Step 6

Work With a Partner that Understands Your Needs – The Semta Apprenticeship Service has unrivalled knowledge and experience in the field

West Midlands businesses wishing to seek Semta assistance should go to: http://www.semta.org.uk/sas/the-route-to-apprenticeship-success-for-smes