Foundation Apprenticeships offer the chance to shape the next generation of talent your business needs.
Developed by Skills Development Scotland in partnership with industry, for industry, Foundation Apprenticeships offer pupils work-based learning while they’re still at school.
Foundation Apprenticeships are based on the successful Modern Apprenticeship programme, and are designed to enable young people to complete elements of the related Modern Apprenticeship while still at school.
Young people choose a Foundation Apprenticeship as one of their senior phase subject choices, alongside their other National and Higher qualifications.
They are designed in key sectors of the Scottish economy to enable young people to gain the skills and experience needed by industry and to equip them to succeed in these key sectors when they leave school.
“Young people spend time out of school with a training provider such as a college, and with a local employer gaining skills and work experience, to complete the Foundation Apprenticeship during S5 and S6. They undertake real industry projects, and with earlier exposure to the world of work, young people can develop the skills, experience and competence they will need to succeed when they leave school,” said Diane Greenlees, SDS Head of Foundation and Graduate Level Apprenticeships.
“This will be coordinated by a local learning provider, who’ll also provide training to support the work experience as the young person works towards achieving this work based learning qualification.”
There are currently 10 different types, or frameworks, for Foundation Apprenticeships being delivered, covering subject areas and sectors including engineering, civil engineering, financial services, IT hardware and software development, creative and digital media, social services and healthcare, business skills and laboratory skills. Further frameworks are also in development, covering Food & Drink (Manufacturing) and Accountancy.
“Foundation Apprenticeships are for any business looking to improve their skills pipeline, they enable you to build a skills pipeline in your community for your industry.
“They are a great option for any business considering succession planning, how to fill skills gaps or how to better recruit and retain specialist skills,” said Diane.
“They’re also ideal for those looking at how to better engage in new technologies such as social media, or how to cut recruitment costs.
“Whatever your reasons for getting involved, you can tailor the Foundation Apprenticeship to your business allowing the young people to work on real projects with your staff, and the learning provider will be on hand to facilitate your programme every step of the way.”
As well as broadening their skill set, boosting their confidence and getting an idea of what the world of work is really like, pupils will come away at the end of the Foundation Apprenticeship with a an industry recognised qualification that’s at the same level of learning as a Higher – SCQF Level 6.
The qualification is certified by the Scottish Qualifications Authority, which awards all exam certification like Highers and Nationals.
“As well as work-readiness skills and solid experience of a sector, young people end up with multiple progression routes on from a Foundation Apprenticeship.” Diane explains. “Young people completing a Foundation Apprenticeship have a range of routes into a future career open to them.
“It is an industry-recognised qualification they can take straight into work along with the experience and connections they’ve gained.
“They can complete a Modern Apprenticeship more quickly in the same subject, because they’ve already completed some elements at school, or can use it as a boost to a Modern Apprenticeship in another sector.
“There’s also the option of moving on with work-based learning in a Graduate Level Apprenticeship, or continuing their learning through the college or university route.
“Fifteen Scottish universities recognise Foundation Apprenticeships as having equal value to a Higher for direct entry, including Glasgow, Abertay, Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Robert Gordon, Highlands and Islands, Heriot-Watt, Queen Margaret and Stirling.”
Every local authority area in Scotland now has Foundation Apprenticeship programmes up and running with more than 1,500 young people taking one up in August.
That number is set to rise significantly in the next two years, with the Scottish Government announcing in March that by the end of 2019, up to 5,000 young people will start a Foundation Apprenticeship.
SDS is actively seeking businesses to get involved in the Foundation Apprenticeship programme.
It’s a chance to access and supply the talent pipeline for the future of your business and industry.
You’ll get to spot talent, nurture and develop it, all the while reducing costs and increasing motivation with your current staff by working with young people who can offer fresh ideas and thinking.
All the while you’ll be offering a young person the first step in their career that school and academic learning simply can’t provide.
What the apprentices say
Of the current group of pupils taking Foundation Apprenticeships:
54% had achieved between 1 and 4 National 5 qualifications before they started
48% were planning to take 2 or 3 Highers in addition to their Foundation Apprenticeship.
And 21% were taking it alongside 4 or 5 Highers
Foundation Apprenticeships available in academic year 2017/18:
- Business Skills
- Civil Engineering
- Creative and Digital Media
- Engineering
- Financial Services
- ICT Hardware and System Support
- ICT Software Development
- Scientific Technologies
- Social Services and Healthcare
- Social Services Children & Young People
- “The Foundation Apprenticeship helped me broaden my horizons and improved my knowledge of working in a big financial services organisation. When I finish college I’m thinking about going to university, but I’m really keen to return to Barclays – that’s my career goal, no matter how long it takes.”
Marta Zalewska, Financial Services Foundation Apprentice
“I know I am just starting out but the Foundation Apprenticeship route seems perfect for me. I am looking forward to combining learning and experience at college and school. I am confident that I will be able to build links with employers which will help me plan the next steps in my career.”
Jasmine Greer, Business & Administration Foundation Apprentice
What employers say
“At Scottish Water we didn’t have any doubt about going into the Foundation Apprenticeship programme. The Foundation Apprenticeships really gives young people the chance come in and try something that could be a career for life. It helps people in the team develop additional skills like mentoring and coaching. And it allows people to start passing on their skills and knowledge of the business. It’s an extended trial period both for you to try the young person but more importantly giving the young person the opportunity to try your sector and see if it’s what they want for a career. The Foundation Apprenticeship is giving us a strong suite of pathways for young people into the business.”
Craig Jackson, People & Organisational Development Consultant at Scottish Water
“Foundation Apprenticeships are innovative career pathways that are hugely beneficial to young people. Students gain first-class work experience, whilst at the same time gaining a recognised qualification. This opens up options for them after school, such as accelerated entry into a Modern Apprenticeship or further education and helps them become work-ready. For Prudential, Foundation Apprenticeships act as a natural feed into our own successful apprenticeship programme, providing better trained recruits. It also provides us with a route via which we can support more young people to gain the employability skills to get on in life.”
Maria Wilcockson, Apprenticeship Scheme Manager, Prudential
