Great employer response to FM apprenticeship
July 30th 2010 Asset Skills says it was greatly encouraged by the employer response to the first of six regional events to register candidates onto the new Facilities Management (FM) Apprenticeship. More than 40 turned up to the early evening network seminar held for London businesses despite the glorious sunshine, the emergency budget and the World Cup. The FM Apprenticeship is a level 3 programme being piloted across England as part of the new Virtual Academy for Business Services, run by the Sector Skills Council for FM, Asset Skills.
"We were delighted with the numbers who attended our event to recruit to the new apprenticeship," says Steven Proudfoot, director of UK Operations at Asset Skills. "We will now be following up on each employer to assist them with the registration process."
The Virtual Academy for Business Services is an innovative pilot being funded by employers. It seeks to help the facilities management industry in the training of its workforce by simplifying the process for employers and achieving economies of scale. One of its first projects has been to kick start FM Apprenticeship schemes in London, the South West, the East of England, North West, North East and Yorkshire & the Humber.
The event in London included speakers from Asset Skills, the British Institute of Facilities Management and the National Apprenticeship Service. They outlined how the new training will benefit the diverse range of staff found in FM, who include facilities managers, building managers, energy managers, buildings maintenance teams, cleaners, security guards, receptionists, caterers, gardeners and hospital porters. The new apprenticeship will also help the sector meet environmental targets through raising the skills needed to achieve low carbon working practices.
"We developed this training in consultation with FM employers," said Karen Waterlow, Facilities Management Specialist at Asset Skills. "It is highly relevant to industry needs and will have a big impact on raising skills across the workforce. We want to hear from employers who are interested in getting involved."
The next apprenticeship event is in Manchester on 21 September. For more information, email virtualacademy@assetskills.org or call Tom Orton on 0844 822 2525. Alternatively, visit www.assetskills.org/virtualacademy click here. To hear employer views about the Academy see www.youtube.com/assetskills. click here
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