IT IS common knowledge that the UK is experiencing a skills shortage. Businesses across the board report difficulties in recruiting and developing young talent with the right skills. The launch of the apprenticeship levy highlights the importance placed on upskilling young people through on-the-job training. However, technical skills are only part of the equation.
When progressing into training and employment, a broad foundation of soft skills is the game-changer that brings wider success. There are several programmes looking to help young people develop these core competencies but their reach is still years off addressing the scale of the problem.
As chief executive of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE), I’ve seen thousands of young people excel through building skills that they never thought they could possibly acquire. Sometimes the award is the first achievement in a young person’s life and the confidence that stays with them is essential for their adult development and transition into the world of work.
The DofE has had a visible impact on Britain’s young people since 1956, empowering them to get fit, volunteer in their community, learn new skills and head off on expeditions. Leading businesses tell us that the award is a hallmark of achievement, and one which they look for on CVs. Employers understand the level of commitment required to achieve one of these awards and value the soft skills our young people develop.
The award also helps employers to identify talent, such as candidates with weaker academic qualifications who would nonetheless make great employees. More than 100 UK businesses have endorsed the DofE and the skills it fosters - testament to the value it provides to young people.
Over the past decade, some innovative businesses have gone a step further and integrated the award into their apprenticeship programmes. Apprentices benefit from the opportunity to develop vital skills such as leadership and communication alongside technical training, and employers can use the award to identify, develop and reward apprentices just beginning their career.
Hitting new targets
After seeing the unique personal development that the DofE offers, British Gas integrated the gold award into its apprenticeship programme in 2006. Working towards the award helped employees to develop the soft skills needed to provide excellent customer service.
Becks Sanchez, who achieved her gold award with British Gas, says she developed “lots of key skills”, including confidence and the ability to work in a team, and that it improved her mental and physical wellbeing, too. “I challenged myself, hit new targets and improved my local community,” she adds. “Now I realise that I’m able to achieve whatever goals I set, as long as I work to the best of my ability.”
Ten years on, after supporting more than 2,300 British Gas apprentices to take on their gold award, the impact is tangible. Internal research comparing groups that had and had not done their DofE found that those who had completed it experienced fewer complaints and more customer referrals.
Consulting and infrastructure support services company Amey has run gold award programmes alongside its apprenticeship scheme since 2010, supporting its ambition to grow a more diverse workforce.
Looking to employ people from all backgrounds, including candidates with less experience or formal training, in 2014 Amey launched a strategic partnership with the DofE specifically to support disadvantaged young people in the community.
Offering the opportunity to do the award has increased visibility of the apprenticeship programme among school leavers and those not in education, employment or training, with 500 apprentices starting their award.
Reflecting on his experience, former apprentice Paul Toon says: “Where other companies may not have considered me as an applicant due to suffering from dyslexia and my previous employment background, Amey supported me and offered me an apprenticeship in arboriculture where I completed my Duke of Edinburgh’s Award alongside onthe-job training. I’m now a team leader and working towards a management position. I also mentor other apprentices, sharing my experiences, showing that, with a little determination and support from a company like Amey, you can achieve so much.”
A total of 15 businesses run the award, with some, such as furniture retail company DFS, having garnered recognition for their exceptional apprenticeship offerings.
“The success of young people completing the DofE programmes alongside technical training has had an impact on the individuals and the businesses they work in, highlighting the importance of ensuring that young people develop the right foundations,” says Scott Fishburn, group HR director at DFS. “It not only ensures that they can do their job well but also that they have transferable skills.”
It’s heartening to see businesses looking to move the needle on the skills issue by offering more rounded support within their training programmes. Integrating programmes such as the DofE into the workplace will become increasingly important as we look towards a future where young people will need transferable skills and the resilience to deal with constant change more than ever.
Peter Westgarth is chief executive of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award
