Read the following two resources:
- A BBC news article on the 2015 reforms to UK apprenticeships: ‘Apprentices: how easy is it to create three million more?’ (Hooker, 2015).
- The foreword and summary and recommendations sections of this City & Guilds Group report on apprenticeships: Remaking Apprenticeships: Powerful Learning for Life and Work (City & Guilds Group, 2014). (You may of course explore the remaining sections of this report if you wish as an optional additional reading.)
Now consider each of the following fictional organisational scenarios. (Note that each company is entirely fictitious.) In each case make notes on the advantages and disadvantages of incorporating apprenticeships within an HRD strategy for this company and consider the external factors that might encourage this approach.
Scenario 1: Garden maintenance company
David has been running a garden maintenance company for the last ten years and now employs ten people, five of whom work on a part-time basis. The work is largely manual and often irregular, with particular peaks from April to September. David relies on student labour to assist during the summer months. A particular challenge in managing the workload across his organisation is that only a few of the permanent employees are qualified to use the more complex machinery and only David himself has the necessary qualifications and experience to do tree surgery. David would like to bid for more commercial contracts but does not have the necessary capacity to deliver the work these are likely to involve.
Scenario 2: Dogs for Life
Dogs for Life is a charity that manages three dogs’ homes in a rural location in Wales. It also campaigns on various issues related to animal welfare and carries out educational work in schools. The charity has a number of paid employees, particularly involved in management and fundraising. Each dogs’ home has a paid centre manager but much of the work is performed by volunteers. Sadly, due to the increased number of abandoned animals during the recent financial crisis, Dogs for Life has seen a dramatic increase in demand. The charity has secured a donation to extend all three of the facilities and is now reviewing how these will be staffed and the balance between paid and volunteers across different roles in the organisation.
Scenario 3: Time 4 Tea
Time 4 Tea is a chain of 25 boutique tea shops in the west of England. They serve traditional tea and cakes, specialising in ‘afternoon tea’ for parties, groups and businesses both at their own premises and delivered locally. Each tea shop also has a small gift shop which sells pottery and other local craft items. The baked items have, to date, been sourced from a variety of local suppliers but the company is now expanding and launching its own bakery which aims to supply not only its own shops but also to launch the ‘Time 4 Tea’ brand into quality supermarket chains. The bakery will need to be staffed with new employees.
