Welcome to the Damar Training Blog

This month’s Damar learner of the month is Robert Hardial. Rob, who works for Horwich Farrelly Solicitors (http://www.horwichfarrelly.co.uk/) has done fantastically well achieving his apprenticeship. Our thanks go to his workplace supervisor (another Rob!) and Rita McGucken at Horwich Farrelly who manages the apprenticeship programme internally. Thanks also to Rob’s assessor, Alison Minay.

Pictured below are the two Robs, and one learner of the month certificate!

Damar has worked with law firms in Greater Manchester for many years and has led the field amongst training providers in building tailored apprenticeships for the legal sector, including the ILEX legal secretarial qualifications in some cases. In partnership with the North West Apprenticeship Company, this month marks the start of a campaign to increase the take-up of apprenticeships amongst law firms and barristers’ chambers.

The attachments give more detail on opportunities for employers and for young people in the legal sector. In particular, these include some quotes from current learners and employers about the benefits to them of apprenticeships.

Career in the law - learners.pdf

Career in the law - employers.pdf

Many employees at organisations with more than 250 staff have the right to request time off for training. From April 2011 this right will extend to employees at smaller organisations as well. The employers that we work with are already supportive of encouraging learning opportunities for staff. However, it is worth all employers looking at the rules in detail at: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/employment/employees/timeoffandholidays/DG_183635

We work hard with employers to ensure that learning is delivered efficiently and, in most cases, apprentices with Damar will only need to be released from work for about one day per month in addition to their regular 1:1 workplace visits.

Key to the success of any work-based learning programme is the support and participation of supervisors and line managers. We often say that a good work based programme looks a bit like a three-legged stool - with each leg represented by the learner, the assessor and the supervisor. Without support from any one of these three the programme is unlikely to succeed!

One supervisor who exemplifies the positive impact of strong workplace support for NVQs and apprenticeships is Helen Boyle, who works at long-standing Damar employer Supanet, based on the Time Technology Park near Burnley (http://www.supanet.com/). Helen has been an invaluable support to her colleagues and to Damar staff over the past three years. This was recognised earlier this month when we presented Helen with a certificate thanking her for her contribution to staff development.

This month, unusually, we were delighted to present two Damar learners with “learner of the month” certificates. The first was Kaylie Palmer at Argus Electrical in Wigan who is our learner of the month for April 2010. We helped Kaylie find her apprenticeship position and, with support from her supervisor, Sandra Finch and her assessor, Chris Barnard she has progressed really well and has now achieved her qualification.

Our second award was presented to Doug Marshall at St James’ Security, also in Wigan. Doug actually won a couple of months ago but diary commitments delayed the presentation. As well as achieving his NVQ in customer service, Doug has also supported Damar’s team in delivering NVQs to his team, many of whom work quite complex shift patterns. Doug commented that the programme has not only delivered benefits to him personally but has also delivered improvements in the service provided to customers by his team as a whole.

Jennifer Yates of Carlson Wagonlit Travel (www.carlsonwagonlit.com) and Charlotte Yates (no relation) of MSL Legal Expenses (www.msl-legalexpenses.co.uk) are Damar’s learners of the month for March 2010. The competition was tough this month as we had 39 learners successfully completing qualifications, but Charlotte and Jennifer both submitted excellent files and their assessors felt that they deserved particular praise for their hard work.

As well as completing all the units required for her NVQ in customer service, Jennifer worked with her Damar assessor, Alison Minay, to complete additional units relevant to her job role. Charlotte’s advanced apprenticeship in business and administration follows her apprenticeship in the same subject that she achieved in 2009.

Congratulations to both learners and thanks too to Carlson Wagonlit and MSL for their support.

Pictured below are Charlotte Yates and her assessor Nicola Clayton at MSL.

If you are a public or third sector employer you will probably have heard of the Future Jobs Fund. The Fund amounts to about £1 billion to support the creation of additional jobs for young people who have been out of work for some time. Jobs must last, initially, for a period of at least six months although it is hoped that many employees will then be retained.

Want many people don’t realise though is that employees engaged through the Future Jobs Fund can also study for apprenticeship qualifications. Damar is already working with some Future Jobs Fund learners - they are a perfect way to ensure that staff get the most out of their new roles.

To find out more about how Future Jobs Fund and apprenticeships can work together please call either your usual contact at Damar or Elisabeth or Mike on 0161 480 8171.