Many employers have enjoyed the benefits of taking on an apprentice (see our blog on: 5 employer benefits of apprenticeships), and here at CMS Vocational Training, we have a dedicated Employer Engagement team to help you through the process.
Working closely with employers, Joanne Stevenson and Mandy Hodson take all the hard work out of finding and employing an apprentice. Their approach is customer focused, always going the extra mile to retain existing clients and gain new customers through client referrals.
THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS
First employers are taken through the process so that they understand how the system works, the benefits of employing an apprentice and what will be required of them as employers.
The next step is for the team to help the employer write a job description.
At this stage, the Employer Engagement team takes over the process by advertising the vacancy, reading all of the CVs that come in, carrying out preliminary interviews to narrow down the applicants, and drawing up a shortlist of the most suitable candidates. This is then sent to the employer, so that they can arrange dates and times for conducting interviews.
Once the employer has decided on their preferred candidate, CMS will inform the other applicants of the decision. From this point, the employer will be allocated a member of the CMS assessment team who will conduct all the necessary teaching, learning and assessment and be the main point of contact for the learner, although Joanne and Mandy are always available to answer any questions that arise (see our blog on: I’ve employed an apprentice – now what?).
OUR EXPERT TEAM
Joanne, who has a degree in Business Studies, has previously run her own business and worked in sales and marketing roles in a variety of industries, from engineering to training.
Mandy also has a background in sales and marketing, including working as a Sales Manager for a clothing company for 15 years and four years selling advertising space for a local magazine.
Both are IAG qualified, and between them they have more than 60 years of experience across a range of different industries. Most important, they understand what a business needs from an apprentice – and vice versa.
THE BENEFITS OF WORKING WITH CMS
By using CMS to source an apprentice, employers can take advantage of free recruitment, without having to go through the time-consuming process of finding and shortlisting candidates. Having a personal account contact also helps the recruitment process to progress more smoothly.
Having worked in this field for many years, Joanne and Mandy have a wealth of industry experience. Although the service they offer is similar to a recruitment consultancy, the focus is on providing excellent customer service and helpful advice rather than “selling” to the employer.
A key part of their role is to meet with the potential employers and get a feel for the culture of the company, as this will help them match the apprentice to the business. Every organisation is different and this approach brings better results for both parties. In fact, most of the companies that the Employer Engagement team works with come back with a request for another apprentice six months or a year down the line.
CONCLUSION
Employers that CMS Vocational Training have and are working with, have found that taking on an apprentice is a great way to recruit a new member of staff. There are no recruitment costs or retainers; the only requirement is to take on the apprentice for 12 months, pay them the appropriate rate and offer suitable training. At the end of that time, many employers keep the apprentice on as a full-time employee.
Offering ongoing support and focusing on long-term relationships, the Employer Engagement team is there to help employers recruit and retain apprentices who can go on to become valuable members of their team.