Latest News from GetOnCourse.net

Intec Business Colleges launches £1,500 Grant to Employers

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 10:35:16 GMT

Intec Business Colleges are able to offer your business a Grant of £1,500.

The wage subsidy grant is available for employers to offer young people, aged 16-24 employment through the Apprenticeship programme.

John Herman, Managing Director comments "This is a great opportunity for Employers to consider employing an Apprentice within their organisation, it is an opportunity to build a skilled workforce for the future. Apprenticeships are proven to boost opportunities of young people and are a sound investment in your organisations future competitiveness"

To find out more information on the new Grants - call freephone 0808 100 1155 today.

Rugby MP visits local Apprenticeship employers with Rugby based training provide

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:22:35 GMT

Local MP Mark Pawsey has joined with representatives from Intec Business Colleges this week to visit local Apprenticeship employers H & K International on the Swift Valley Industrial Estate. During National Apprenticeship Week, Mark was keen to see for himself the advantages of employing and supporting apprentices in the workplace.

Mark said: “I was delighted to be able to visit H & K International this week and to celebrate the skills and talents of apprentices in my Constituency. Recent figures show that 870 apprentices started a programme in the Rugby Constituency during 2010/11. These figures represent a 52% increase from a total of 570 apprentices prior to the 2010 General Election and, most significantly, a rise from just 360 apprentices in 2005. This Government has delivered the biggest boost ever to apprenticeships, with a major increase in those under the age of 19 participating.”

Mark continued: “It was useful to attend with a local training provider who I know has highlighted their commitment to apprenticeships by working in partnership with companies to develop their employee’s skills. I hope that National Apprenticeship Week has helped to highlight the advantages of employing and supporting employers in the workplace, and the wide range of apprenticeships available.”

Mark concluded: “Boosting employer interest should lead to more apprenticeships being created, supporting British Business and providing our citizens with strong vocational skills and excellent career progression.”

Intec Business Colleges were happy to introduce Mark to H & K International employees who are candidates on their programme, and to discuss with him the benefits of apprenticeships and NVQs to both individuals and businesses.

John Herman, Intec Managing Director went on to say “Mark’s visit illustrates his keen interest in staff training and particularly the Apprenticeship programme. I know from his background of running a business himself how much he supports initiatives that help businesses to improve their competitiveness. I am sure H & K International and the Apprentices are pleased that their commitment to the Apprenticeship programme is recognised”

Sue Wheatley (Customer Services Manager at H & K, International) who accommodated the visit, said “Over the years we have offered NVQ’S to various area of the business, including Customer Service, Production and Warehousing. We have weekly in house training sessions on products and procedures, so this, along with the NVQ’s ensures that our staff are knowledgeable and consistent in their approach. We understand that we are only as good as our staff and believe that we should invest in them.”

Mercedes-Benz drives Employee Training

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:05:32 GMT

Mercedes-Benz Insurance provides branded insurance products to both passenger car and commercial vehicles customers and they have set up a training academy to support both new starters and experienced members of their teams to achieve their goals and encourage staff retention.

The training academy works in partnership with Intec Business Colleges to provide NVQ training in Customer Services and Team Leading to its employees. The training academy, which began in the autumn of 2010 is performing well and has been actively embraced by their employees.

The training academy was launched in response to feedback provided in an employee engagement survey. The employees said they felt that once they had completed their initial training, there was not enough ongoing training and development support on offer.

Ivor Wood, Contact Centre manager explained”Following our survey we knew we needed to introduce something that would show our commitment to invest in them. As a brand we are very focused on delivering excellent customer service and the NVQs that we have chosen both reinforce this and demonstrate that we take personal development very seriously.”

“Within the Sales Teams and Customer Services Teams, employees were given the option to take part in the NVQs and we were delighted when all of them wanted to be involved”.

“Intec has made the process run very smoothly for us, they come in and get on with the job we need them to do. They have developed good relationships with our Team Leaders, and the team from Intec has worked well on developing and implementing the training programme together” concluded Ivor.

Intec Supports National Apprenticeship Week

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:08:35 GMT

Yesterday saw the official launch of the fifth National Apprenticeship week. “Apprenticeships are at the centre of the government’s skills policy because we know that they work. Not only do they provide individuals with the skills they need for prosperous and rewarding careers, they also boost businesses’ profits and drive growth in the wider economy.” – Vince Cable, Business Secretary announced.

Mr John Herman, Managing Director of Intec Business Colleges a leading work based training organisation operating throughout the country supports the concept of National Apprenticeship Week. “National Apprenticeship Week is an ideal opportunity to raise the profile to employers of the real benefits of the Apprenticeship programme. Apprenticeships are a great success story for the UK, with employers having seen their potential and are assisting in building the skills of their workforce for future business growth”.

Intec Business Colleges have recently launched their Intec Apprenticeship Recruitment Service providing employers with a comprehensive recruitment package to recruit an Apprentice into their business. “This service is simple, speedy and takes the headache away from the recruitment process and most importantly is free of charge and an ideal opportunity for organisations to benefit from the Apprenticeship programme” concludes Mr Herman.

For more information call Terri Gamble on the Intec Apprenticeship Recruitment Service call Freephone 0808 100 1155.

Intec working alongside Teleperformance

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 13:25:46 GMT

Teleperformance runs the “Be all you can be” programme aimed at encouraging young people from areas of high unemployment to aim for a life which is physically active, nutritionally healthy and addiction free and understand possible local career paths. This is in collaboration with local services such as community police and education authorities. One of them being Intec Business College!

The company runs an apprenticeship scheme in partnership with Intec Business College aimed at leavers between the ages of 16 and 19. As well as employment, this scheme offers pre-employment training to support school leavers in finding employment. Once employed, it allows them to work towards NVQ qualifications up to level 3.

Read full article here

Intec launch new initiative to take youth unemployment in Rugby

Wed, 09 Nov 2011 14:39:39 GMT

Intec Business Colleges, a leading UK provider of work based training, is launching a new initiative to help tackle youth unemployment in Rugby. Intec, which is headquartered in Rugby Town Centre, is providing the opportunity to gain an IT qualification as well as carry out Job Searches and CV Writing skills.

Intec will running an eight-week course in January of 2012 and is inviting applicants who meet the criteria to apply straightaway for the opportunity to gain a Diploma Level 2 in IT User as well as vital skills in job searching and CV writing.

As youth unemployment figures in the UK reach new highs, Managing Director of Intec, John Herman, believes the Diploma course will provide a much needed starting point for young adults.

“The Diploma Course will provide unemployed people with a great opportunity to not only gain a formal qualification but also a range of new skills that will have the potential to help them find employment,” explained John Herman. “As a leading training provider in vocational qualifications we have a wealth of experience that means we are well placed to provide this kind of support in tackling youth unemployment in Rugby.”

Intec also has its own Apprenticeship Recruitment service aimed at supporting employers in recruiting apprentices. This will provide a great opportunity for those young adults who take up the Diploma Course when it comes to searching for employment opportunities. A diverse range of private and public sector employers have already notified their vacancies including British Gas, Ford, New Look, Sky, A Plant and local Councils.

“A person undertaking an apprenticeship programme can bring vitality to any business and employing an apprentice is a very cost effective way of developing staff, improving retention, identifying potential and increasing competitiveness,” said Mr Herman, “Apprenticeship programmes within the workplace inevitably produce the skilled workforce the business will need in the future”.

For more information and to register your interest call freephone 0808 100 1155

Small firms hold the key, MP tells forum

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 15:49:05 GMT

The Rugby HR Forum, a new representative body established for the benefit of HR Business Partners and Personnel Directors/Managers in and around Rugby, held its inaugural meeting at the new Rugby Business Centre of Warwickshire College on Technology Drive last week.

Mr Mark Pawsey MP, who formerly ran a business in Rugby for over 25 years himself and who now represents the constituency on the back benches, spoke at the first event. Mr Pawsey emphasised to delegates the role that private sector business and in particular SME’s will play in the economic recovery of the country and highlighted a number of proposed measures to support employers in achieving that goal.

Mark Pawsey was delighted to be involved in the Forum from its inception and said “The Rugby HR Forum is a great idea and will provide an opportunity for local businesses to get together to discuss how HR matters affect their business. I am fully aware of the concerns of business owners relating to staffing issues in particular and it is fantastic to have the opportunity to share what is on the government’s agenda to support small businesses, particularly in terms of the Employers Charter, with a focus group such as this. It has been a great opportunity for me to explain how government intends to remove red tape and encourage employers to have the confidence to recruit staff and this new body will offer me an important insight into how those measures are working in practice. I plan to continue to be involved with the Forum.”

The Forum, organised by Brethertons LLP Solicitors in partnership with Intec Business Colleges, has deliberately been structured as a Forum rather than a traditional networking meeting, according to David Hodge, Head of Employment Law at Brethertons. “Our ambition is for the Forum to provide a much needed local focus group for Personnel Managers/Directors to share experiences and know-how as well as to discuss and consult over changes that affect HR matters both at a regional and a national level. We want to build on the success of this first forum and look forward to developing a respected body to feedback the views of the local business community to our local MP.”

John Herman, Managing Director of Intec Business Colleges, said, “This first Forum has opened up the dialogue between businesses in our local community to discuss HR and Personnel matters, an area that can often be difficult. We want to encourage more businesses to join us and through the sharing of experiences and the topical presentations we want the Forum to become a valuable resource and provide a strong network of support for this area of business.”

The second HR Forum is set to take place on 15th December at the same venue and will see John Herman, Managing Director of Intec Business Colleges lead a discussion on Apprenticeships, the extensive funding available and the flexibility of Apprenticeships to support growt h

Intec Business College leads on tackling youth unemployment

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 15:56:53 GMT

As youth unemployment figures are set to top 1million and reach historic record highs, one of the UK’s leading work based training organisations, Intec Business Colleges plc, is already at the forefront of placing young workers into apprenticeships with leading UK employers. Intec’s Managing Director, John Herman, is certain apprenticeships will be vital in tackling youth unemployment in the UK.

“A young person undertaking an apprenticeship programme can bring vitality to any business and employing an apprentice is a very cost effective way of developing staff, improving retention, identifying potential and increasing competitiveness,” said John Herman, Managing Director of Intec Business Colleges. “Apprenticeship programmes within the workplace inevitably produce the skilled workforce the business will need in the future. Apprenticeships benefit the employer, the employee and in turn they will help the UK tackle the growing problem of youth unemployment. ”

Intec recently launched its own service aimed at supporting employers in recruiting apprentices under the age of 25. In conjunction with the National Apprenticeship Service, Intec is able to provide employers with a comprehensive recruitment package for them to employ an Apprentice. The service is simple, speedy, takes away the headache of the recruitment process and best of all its FREE!

A diverse range of private and public sector employers have already advertised their vacancies including British Gas, Ford, New Look, Sky, A Plant and local Councils. As part of the service, Intec takes full details of the vacancy specification and job description and goes through the whole process from searching and screening candidates to selecting suitable candidates for interviews. As soon as an apprentice is appointed, Intec also helps to get them settled in and carries out an induction into the Apprenticeship programme.

For more information please call our Freephone 0808 100 1155

Apprenticeship Success Rates

Wed, 07 Sep 2011 14:04:35 GMT

The Skills Funding Agency, the Government Agency whose job it is to fund and regulate Adult Further Education and skills in England, has just published the Apprenticeship success rates for 2010-11.

The average success rate for all providers throughout the country is 75.5% which is an increase on last year’s 73.9%.

These figures represent the success of learners undertaking Apprenticeship programmes throughout England in a variety of occupational areas, from engineering to hairdressing.

The vast majority of learners undertake Apprenticeship programmes in the workplace and have achieved the qualification whilst performing their job role. “To complete an Apprenticeship qualification whilst at work is a significant achievement and requires discipline, hard work and time management” says John Herman Managing Director of Intec Business Colleges.

Intec has been delivering work based vocational qualifications for the past 30 years and works with a range of companies throughout the country. Currently Intec is responsible for over 2,600 learners who are undertaking Apprenticeships and achieving success rates in excess of 85%, which is ten percentage points above the national average.

Mr Herman adds “young people have had some bad press over recent months but the recent GCSE and A level results together with these Apprenticeship success rates show that in general young people have a desire to succeed and to pursue a worthwhile career path”.

For more information please contact us on Freephone 0808 100 1155.

CIPD Apprenticeship survey results

Wed, 07 Sep 2011 14:02:10 GMT

The Chartered Institute of Personnel Development (CIPD) has just published some research in its quarterly survey which suggest a sharp increase in employers looking to take on Apprentices.

37% of the employees surveyed are likely to recruit apprentices in the next 6 months up to December 2011. Despite this encouraging news employers are not impressed with the preparedness of young people for employment. In particular employers are concerned about the levels of literacy and numeracy amongst school leavers. When considering hiring young people employers are keen to see candidates with good communication skills who can also demonstrate good customer service skills.

Intec Business Colleges have been working with employers delivering Apprenticeship programmes for the past 30 years. John Herman, Intec’s Managing Director says “the skills mentioned in the research are skills we focus on when delivering Apprenticeship programmes. Employers who take on Apprentices can soon see their young employees blossom, gain in confidence and quickly start contributing to their business”. Mr Herman continued “Over the past month we have experienced a great deal of interest from employers who wish to take on Apprentices. Clearly, employers see young people as the future for their business and over this next few months there are going to be some very keen and enthusiastic youngsters in the employment market looking for Apprenticeship opportunities”.

For more information please contact us on Freephone 0808 100 115 5