Quality over quantity does pay off!

it’s unusual for me to brag about quantity: we’re a small specialist niche provider and I’ve emphasised quality rather than numbers. But this month will see 25 people start a creative, digital or marketing apprenticeship with us.

So, the Government committed to their target of 3 million apprentice starts by 2020: at the same time as introducing the biggest reform to the apprenticeship programme since about 1543: of which more later. Now, our 25 starts is a molecule of H2O in that ocean of a target. Except I heard last week that one national apprentice training provider, with dozens of offices & hundreds of staff all over the country, had gone from 400 starts /month in summer 2016 to 50 starts a month this summer.

In light of that ‘intelligence’, Creative Alliance, with our one office and a dozen or so staff are really doing well. I wondered why. I looked at the feedback employers have been giving us. I started to see a pattern.

We keep is simple:

Rachael Giaramita: TigerBam

Creative Alliance have helped my business grow in a stress and hassle free way. They screen candidates and arrange meetings and interviews at your convenience, I would, and have, recommended Creative Alliance. AMAZING service with friendly helpful staff who are always happy to help out in anyway.

We listen and tailor our approach to each employer:

Sam Austin: Flightcase Warehouse

Creative Alliance took the opportunity to understand the particular role I had in relation to the strategic path we are on allowing the process to be very simple and effective. There was a clear understanding from my point on how the process worked and on the first interview our new digital marketing apprentice superseded our expectations with his professional manor and approach’

We’re specialists and understand what you need as employers:

Jennifer Tune Blue Chilli Design and Print

I had used Creative Alliance’s services with a different employer. Through that experience had found it positive and had been happy with the service provided by Creative Alliance. One of the biggest positives with Creative Alliances service Is that they do all the training within work time and there is not a one day a week out of the workplace. They build the course around us and the work the apprentice is doing. That is such a valuable service for us and it means that the apprentice is much more valuable to the employer.

Unlike some of those national companies, who I’ve been told by clients use aggressive sales & recruitment tactics, we don’t. If we’re not right for you and what your business needs, we respect that. We won’t promise the earth and make apprenticeships sound like the panacea to all your business problems. It isn’t. But 85% of apprentices who complete their apprenticeship move into fulltime employment. It might take 12 months but it is a cost-effective way of growing your business.

I see apprenticeships work and I see the positive impact on both employers and young talent. And this is why I am furious at the appalling mess the government are making of the apprenticeship reform process. We’re doing well despite of, not because of, the ill thought through changes that are being introduced. That’s the real reason there has been a collapse in the number of apprenticeship starts. There won’t be anything official statistics until October but when they are announced expect those fans to be working overtime! More soon.

If you are interested in an apprenticeship or just want to find out more. Please contact us here