IT Apprenticeships – Dispelling the Myths

1. IT Apprenticeships – Dispelling the Myths Andy Dent Innovit George Anderson Zenos Terry Killer Microsoft

2. The Challenges • Shortage of affordable IT professional skills • Recruitment of people with existing and often costly skills just moves the ‘vacancies’ around – no new blood moving into the industry • Leitch report highlights a shortage and need for apprentices so:- • Microsoft Partners Zenos Academy • LSC e-skill SSC • Microsoft

3. Today • Understand the partner business • Interpersonal skills • Business awareness skills (supplying solutions, not products) • Technical skills • Define an agreed programme • A concise document that clearly identified the requirements, process for taking things forward and ownership for making things happen • Selected training provider • Creative delivery capacity • Provide validation of candidate suitability at the pre employer interview stage • Job Centre Plus for recruitment

4. The partners • All Partners wanted to get their apprentices up to speed as soon as possible: • For the first 3 months of being on programme, 4 days a week in learning and 1 in the workplace • For the next 3 months, 3 days a week in learning and 2 in the workplace • For the remainder, just 1 day a week in learning

5. Current state of play • 20 + candidates going through employer interview and job offer stage • Other candidates being selected, tested and pre interviewed • Training Provider ready to deliver (with others preparing to deliver against a Learning Specification from Sept 09)