The Music Industry Apprenticeship Scheme (MIAS) aims to give up to 15 young people from diverse backgrounds an exciting, high-quality opportunity to fast track their career in the music industry through meaningful work experience and specific music industry training.

DiVA believes it is important to give opportunities to young people from under-represented backgrounds an equal opportunity to pursue a career in the Music industry and is looking for like-minded organisations to join the scheme by offering at least one paid opportunity within their business.

As a Host Company you would be required to: 

Provide a job opportunity

Employ the Apprentices for 15 months

Pay an average salary of £17K per annum

Grants of up to £1000 per apprentice are available (see information sheet).  DiVA will coordinate recruitment, training and programme management.

Apprentices will follow a Business Administration or Junior Content Producer Apprenticeship programme, therefore the programme is suited to administration or creative roles.

WHEN WILL THE PROGRAMME START?

The provisional timeline is as outlined below:

• Host Company engagement April – June 2019
• Recruitment of apprentices during July – September 2019
• Apprentices start October 2019

HOW DO I GET INVOLVED? 

Simply download and complete an application form and return it to hello@divaapprenticeships.com

Click here to download further information on the programme.

 

 

Following its launch in 2018, DiVA has again partnered with the BRITs and the BPI to deliver the second round of the BRITs Apprentice Scheme.  The scheme gives ten people from across the UK and Ireland a unique, high quality, paid opportunity to work at a top independent record label or music company, learn about the recorded music industry, receive practical ‘hands-on’ experience, develop relevant skills and make key contacts.

Ten music companies drawn from across the vibrant independent community – ranging from record labels and digital distributors to music publishers and artist management – have signed up to take on an apprentice

The companies are as follows:

Absolute Label Services | www.absolutelabelservices.com/ [click here]
Absolute Label Services is a leading provider of tailor-made sales, marketing and business management solutions for independent record labels, single-artist labels and brand-owned music labels.

Asian Arts Agency | www.asianartsagency.co.uk/  [click here]
Asian Arts Agency is one of the UK’s leading South Asian music agencies, presenting world-class South Asian music internationally. Over the last 10 years it has promoted more than 500 events across the UK and overseas, reaching in excess of one million live audiences.

BMG Rights Management Services | www.bmg.com/uk/ [click here]
BMG is the first new international music company to be launched in the streaming age. Founded in 2008, the same week as Spotify, BMG is already world’s largest international music company outside the three established majors.

Champion Sound Music | www.championsoundmusic.com/ [click here]
Champion Sound Music is an award-winning music management company and associated record label based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It currently manages the careers of five full-time artists involved in the music industry. Its artists have in the past four years achieved 100 million streams on Spotify; it has had ten albums shortlisted for the Northern Ireland Music Prize, and it has won the Northern Ireland Music Prize for the past two years

Distiller Records | www.distillermusic.com/ [click here]
Distiller Music is establishing its prestige as an independent label with an ear for the sounds of tomorrow, releasing records from some of the hottest up-and-comers on the circuit including Anteros, Bloody Knees, Cassia, The Ninth Wave, and The Ramona Flowers. It also pioneered Distiller TV, a leading platform in new music discovery.

Fire Records | www.firerecords.com/ [click here]
Originally founded in 1984, Fire Records is an established independent record label based in East London, releasing music across the sonic spectrum. The label works with a diverse range of artists from all over the world, including the likes of Hater (Sweden), Virginia Wing (UK), Kristin Hersh (USA), Jane Weaver (UK) and The Lemonheads (USA). As well as the current roster, catalogue artists include Pulp, ESG, Spacemen 3, Pere Ubu and The Groundhogs; in addition to this, the Earth label focuses on reissues of folk classics from Bert Jansch, The Music From Bagpuss and Trader Horne, while FROST releases soundtracks such as Ladybird, Blue Velvet, Black Mirror and many more.

Kryptic Media Ltd | www.kycker.net/ [click here]
Kycker is a free online platform created for artists to use to manage their DIY careers and earn a sustainable income from their music. Artists can distribute their music to over 850 platforms, including iTunes, Spotify and more. Users are also able to claim performance royalties from all live shows and radio broadcasts at the push of a button.

One Media iP | www.onemediaip.com/ [click here]
One Media iP is an exciting digital music and video business. It has a catalogue of over 250,000 music tracks, from a range of genres spanning soul to classical music and rock to pop, including from 1,700 diverse artists such as George McCrae, Merle Haggard, Ricky Valance, Edwin Starr, Evelyn Thomas, Mungo Jerry, Eric Burdon, the Troggs, Marv Johnson and Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

Revolver Music | www.revolverrecords.com/ [click here]
Revolver is an independent Record company, first created in 1979. The label has been an IFPI member since 1984 and a BPI member since 1988. In that time the label has released 6000 albums, and it currently produces new artists albums at around one to two per month.

VDM Music | www.vdmmusic.com/ [click here]
VDM Music is a music management company looking after artists and songwriters in an array of genres. It is a boutique company which it has built from scratch over 10 years ago. The company roster includes Nina Nesbitt, Olivia Sebastianelli and Robbie Jay.

The scheme is open to individuals aged 18 and over.  The apprenticeship will start in April 2019 and last 15 months. Successful candidates will receive specialist training in either business administration or content production.  In London the salary will be £18k and outside it will be £15k to reflect lower living costs.

The deadline for applications is 10th February 2019. 

Join us for tea and pastries at our popular Apprenticeship networking event for businesses. Hosted by our friends at UK Music, the event takes place in central London on Thursday 8th March starting at 09:00am until 10:30am. 

Click here to register your attendance.

Through an interactive discussion, you’ll hear and network with employers from start-ups to large businesses who are using apprenticeships to retain talent and scale their businesses at an affordable rate. Areas covered include:

• The money – how to make the most of the Apprenticeship Levy and access government incentives
• Types of Apprenticeships available and at what levels – how they can help you fill skills and recruitment gaps
• How DiVA can help with recruiting new apprentices and engaging existing staff to take up Apprenticeship opportunities.
• The role of the employer in Apprenticeships and how DiVA can support you

The event is free to attend.  Feel free to extend the invitation to your colleagues.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Talented youngsters will get the chance to kick-start their careers in the recorded music industry thanks to a new apprenticeship scheme created by the BPI and funded by money raised by the BRIT Awards.

The BRITs Apprentice Scheme will give ten young people from England and Wales a unique, high quality, paid opportunity to work at a top independent record label or music company, learn about the recorded music industry, receive practical ‘hands-on’ experience, develop relevant skills and make key contacts.

The scheme was devised by UK record labels association the BPI, which owns and runs the BRIT Awards and which also developed its charitable arm, The BRIT Trust.

Apprenticeships are an important way to help bring in new and diverse talent into the industry and are in line with the Government’s commitment to education, skills and training.

The scheme will be open to individuals aged 18 and over. Successful applicants will be matched with independent record labels and music companies who are members of the BPI. They will receive specialist training in either business administration or digital marketing.

The BRITs Apprentice Scheme will start in January 2018 and last 14 months up to the end of February 2019, and it is hoped will then lead to further employment opportunities in the industry. The successful candidates will also have an opportunity to experience working at The BRIT Awards.

The deadline for applications is 17th November 2017, and the BPI/BRIT Trust organisers are calling on interested applicants to apply as soon as possible. Full details are available on The BRIT Trust website here

There will be six places for candidates in London and four outside, covering Wales, Birmingham, Norwich and Leicester. In London the salary will be £18k and outside it will be £15k to reflect lower living costs. The BRIT Trust will fund two thirds of each salary – leaving the participating companies to cover the remaining third (approx. £5k or £6k).

Ten music companies drawn from across the vibrant independent community – ranging from record labels and digital distributors to vinyl and CD manufacturers and streaming app services – have signed up to take on an apprentice. See Notes to Editors for details.

The Scheme will be overseen by the BPI, while its day-to-day operation will be provided by DiVA – the recruitment and training organisation specialising in business, creative and digital apprenticeships, whose experienced experts have a successful track record in delivering apprentices in the creative industries.

Geoff Taylor, Chief Executive BPI & BRIT Awards, said:
“Everyone connects the BRIT Awards with the best of British music and with dynamic young talent, so it’s right that, through its charitable arm The BRIT Trust, the BRITs brand should demonstrate the value of music by giving music fans with exciting potential a major opportunity to get into the industry they love. These apprenticeships are like golden tickets and will open up a range of opportunities for ten talented individuals who are passionate about working at a record label or in a music company.”

The Scheme will be funded via the BRIT Trust, which distributes money raised by the BRIT Awards and other industry events to promote education and wellbeing through music. The BRIT Trust has to date awarded around £20 million to range of charities and good causes, principally The BRIT School, which it helped to set up, East London Arts and Music (ELAM), Nordoff Robbins music therapy, War Child, Key4Life, and other to organisations, including the addictions and mental health charity Music Support.

John Craig OBE, Chairman of The BRIT Trust, said:
“It is a key part of The BRIT Trust’s mission to help young people through music and we have already done a huge amount of work through The BRIT School, Nordoff Robbins and other charities that promote education and wellbeing through music. We’re delighted to be able to support The BRITs Apprentice Scheme to give talented young people the opportunity and practical training that could help change their lives.”

Arit Eminue, Director DiVA, said:
“DiVA is delighted to collaborate with the BRIT Trust and BPI in the delivery of the BRITs Apprentice Scheme, which opens the gates of the music industry to the next generation of music talent.   DiVA is a bridge between the creative industry and talent. We have a wealth of experience of apprenticeship development and delivery that supports workforce diversity, talent retention and skills development. We’re excited to meet and look forward to supporting the golden tickets holders in the development of their careers.”

ENDS –
Enquiries

For the BPI & BRIT Trust
Ayesha Hazarika ayesha.hazarika@bpi.co.uk 020 7803 1300 / 07970 780 717
Gennaro Castaldo gennaro.castaldo@bpi.co.uk 020 7803 1326 / 07801 194 139

For DiVA
Arit Eminue arit@divaapprenticeships.com 0843 289 9204

Notes to Editors
A&G Songs www.agsongspublishing.com/
A&G Songs Ltd, established over 10 year ago, is based at Tileyard studios and is a multi-faceted modern, forward-thinking music company. Its organisation includes award-wining sync agency A&GSync, its publishing and records arms A&G Songs and A&G Records and its new 2017 venture A&G Brands.

Believe Distribution Services | www.believemusic.com/
Believe offers smart distribution and marketing services for artists & labels worldwide. The company has over 400 employees globally with 32 offices around the world.

Horus Music | www.horusmusic.global/
Horus Music is a global music distribution and label services company. Established in 2006, we’re a hardworking team that offers every artist a simple and affordable solution for getting their music in front of wider audiences. We keep things simple and provide as many opportunities as possible so that our artists can earn an income from their music.

INgrooves Music Group | www.ingrooves.com/
INgrooves offers a full suite of distribution, marketing and technology services to help independent labels and content owners manage their music, with delivery to more than 600 destinations in over 200 territories worldwide. Access best-in-class, tailored label services. The Group also provides artist and label services and a rights management service.

Key Production Group | www.keyproduction.co.uk/
For over quarter of a century, customers have chosen Key Production for Vinyl Pressing, CD Replication, DVD Manufacturing and Special Packaging. Our exceptional knowledge, experience and project management skills combine to achieve unrivalled results. Consistently successful projects inspire lasting professional relationships with major labels and independent artists alike.

Kudos Records | www.kudosrecords.co.uk/
Kudos Records provides digital and physical distribution services to some of the UK’s most cutting edge independent record labels.

[PIAS] | www.pias.com/
[PIAS] champions and supports the best independent music in the world across our unrivalled international network. Established in 1982, we operate 16 global offices – all leveraging local relationships to influence local gatekeepers.

Punch Records | http://punch-records.co.uk/
PUNCH is a national music development company that was founded in the heart of Birmingham. Since 2002 our mission has been to transform lives through music. How do we do this? PUNCH commissions talented artists, produces fresh new work and engages with emerging audiences and artists.

SupaPass | https://supapass.com/
SupaPass is the streaming app that offers any artist or label their own dedicated subscription streaming service, and lets them earn up to 100% net revenue from the fans’ subscriptions.

Wyastone / Nimbus Records | www.wyastone.co.uk/
Wyastone is the home of NIMBUS RECORDS, and also the manufacturing and global distribution partner for ten other labels presenting classical, world, jazz and popular music. You can search each label individually, listen to mp3 samples and shop for all of them on this site.

***

About The BRIT Trust | www.brittrust.co.uk/
Established in 1989 and entirely funded by the recorded music industry – principally through The BRIT Awards, The Trust’s mission is to give young people of all backgrounds a chance to express their musical creativity regardless of race, class, gender or ability. The Trust exists to promote education and wellbeing through music and to date has donated nearly £20 million to a range of progressive causes and charities, including The BRIT School, East London Arts and Music (ELAM) and Nordoff Robbins music therapy. It also supports the work of addictions and mental health charity Music Support and Key4Life, which seeks to direct young men who are in prison or at risk of going there away from a life of crime by drawing on their passion for music.

About the BRIT Awards | http://www.brits.co.uk/
The BRIT Awards with Mastercard is the biggest and most prestigious night in the UK music calendar. Next year’s awards ceremony will take place on Wednesday 21st February 2018. The 38th BRIT Awards will be broadcast live on ITV and take place for the eighth time at The O2, London.
The 2017 event, which featured performances from artists including Little Mix, Katy Perry and Robbie Williams as well as a surprise appearance of Stormzy with Ed Sheeran, reached a wider audience than ever before by expanding its digital partnerships to make the biggest night in music even more interactive. With its longest standing UK broadcaster, ITV’s audience across the main show and its launch programme achieved 8.5million in total. There were over 27 million views of BRITs performances on VEVO and YouTube within just one week alone.
The 2017 BRITs raised £567k for the War Child charity from all of the activity around the Awards, including BRITs Week which hosted a series of incredible live shows in the week leading up to the main event through a partnership between the BPI and AEG Presents. Craig David, The 1975, Lianne La Havas and Basement Jaxx played across London helping to raise money for the cause.

The 2017 BRITs raised £567k for the War Child charity from all of the activity around the Awards, including BRITs Week which hosted a series of incredible live shows in the week leading up to the main event through a partnership between the BPI and AEG Presents. Craig David, The 1975, Lianne La Havas and Basement Jaxx played across London helping to raise money for the cause.

About the BPI (British Phonographic Industry) | www.bpi.co.uk
The BPI is a record labels’ association that promotes British music and champions the UK’s recorded music industry – the world’s third largest and the biggest exporter of recorded music after the US. The BPI helps safeguard the rights of its members and of all the artists, performers and record label members of collecting body PPL – who collectively create around 99 per cent of all legitimate sales and streams of music in the UK. The BPI’s membership consists of over 400 independent labels and the UK’s three ‘major’ companies, which together account for up to 85 per cent of legitimate domestic music consumption.

In 2016 UK artists were responsible for one in eight artist albums sold worldwide, helping British music exports to grow by 11 per cent to £365 million – their highest levels this century. The BPI helps to promote British music overseas through numerous trade missions as well as through the Music Exports Growth Scheme, which has awarded over £2 million in government funding to more than 150 mainly independently-signed artists since its launch in January 2014. The BPI provides valuable insights, training and networking with its free masterclasses and presentations and through its Innovation Hub, Insight Sessions and authoritative yearbook and reports.

In 2016 UK artists were responsible for one in eight artist albums sold worldwide, helping British music exports to grow by 11 per cent to £365 million – their highest levels this century. The BPI helps to promote British music overseas through numerous trade missions as well as through the Music Exports Growth Scheme, which has awarded over £2 million in government funding to more than 150 mainly independently-signed artists since its launch in January 2014. The BPI provides valuable insights, training and networking with its free masterclasses and presentations and through its Innovation Hub, Insight Sessions and authoritative yearbook and reports.

The BPI certifies the iconic Platinum, Gold and Silver Awards Programme, co-owns the Official Charts, owns and organises The BRIT Awards with Mastercard – which, through the BPI’s charitable arm, The BRIT Trust, has raised around £20m for music education and wellbeing charities, including the BRIT School and Nordoff-Robbins music therapy. The BPI is also home to the Hyundai Mercury Prize.

About DiVA | www.divaapprenticeships.com/
DiVA is a recruitment and training organisation specialising in business, creative and digital apprenticeships. They have supported 500 individuals into work in some of the UK’s leading brands and SMEs including Universal Music Group, BBC Worldwide, Warner Music, All3 Media, Endemol Shine, Hat Trick Productions, Energy Live News, PPL, PRS, UK Music, the Southbank Centre and more. Their service to employers includes the development of an apprenticeship programme that supports existing staff and or new recruits, training and mentoring for the apprentice, free recruitment, and account management.

DiVA was the first London based independent apprenticeship training provider to be awarded the Creative Skillset ‘tick’ in recognition of the outstanding support they offer to apprentices and employers. They are MATRIX accredited and feature on the governments Register of Approved Apprenticeship Training Providers and their Apprenticeship Diversity Champions Network. With around two in three employees who are from the BAME community, diversity is at the heart of the business and DiVA is fully committed to supporting its clients improve their own workforce representation.

We are pleased to announce that DiVA was awarded SME Business of the Year, and their very own Arit Eminue was crowned Entrepreneur of the Year at the Precious Awards 2017, which were held at a lavish ceremony in the iconic Waldorf Hotel in central London.

The double award win follows what has been a momentous year so far for DiVA with the continued expansion of their apprenticeship provision, the launch of their Apprenticeship Levy Management Service and new strategic partnerships across the TV and Music sectors.

Founder & Director, Arit Eminue, said: we were thrilled to win SME Business of the Year, which recognises all the hard work, dedication, and passion put in by the team at DiVA.  I was personally overwhelmed to later win Entrepreneur of the Year.

Sponsored by Santander, the Precious Awards celebrate the best of British, recognising exceptional determination, innovation, entrepreneurial skills and talent across multiple categories.  SME Business of the Year is awarded to a business that has met and overcome challenges, has a clear understanding of the market they operate in and have the foundations in place for continued success and expansion. Entrepreneur of the Year is awarded to an enterprising individual who has achieved sustained levels of growth through a culture of innovation, resilience and an ethos of inspiring others through their leadership style.

DiVA’s director added: “As we come into the last three months of the year, we do so with a pep in our step and a lot to be grateful for.”

For information on how DiVA can support your business to grow through apprenticeships, contact Arit and her team on 0203 189 1784.

 

We’re thrilled to announce our founder & director, Arit Eminue has been named as a finalist in this year’s Forward Ladies National Awards 2017 and the PRECIOUS Awards.

Her passion and determination to make DiVA Apprenticeships succeed has paid off as Arit has been shortlisted in the London and the South regional heat of the Forward Ladies National Awards 2017 in the SME Emerging category, which celebrates entrepreneurial female business leaders.

In addition, Arit has been nominated for the 11th annual PRECIOUS Awards, which celebrates the professional achievements of women of colour in the UK, in the Business of the Year category.  The awards have received a number of high profile endorsements including Prime Minister Theresa May who said: “These awards are a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the substantial contribution of Black and Asian female entrepreneurs.”

Speaking about the news, dynamic DiVA, Arit said how humbled she is to have been selected as a finalist for these prestigious awards.

She said: “I was surprised and excited when I discovered I was a finalist in both awards. I have no idea who nominated me but want to say a huge thank you. We’re facing many changes in the apprenticeship sector, but change excites me. We’ve been very nimble and have embraced a new way of working which has boosted our success. It is humbling to know that someone else has recognised you making a positive contribution.”

Arit is looking forward to attending both awards ceremonies, with the Forward Ladies National Awards 2017 glittering regional final at the Hilton, London Tower Bridge on September 15th and the PRECIOUS Awards event taking place at Waldorf Hotel on September 21st.

DiVA’s director added: “I learned a long time ago to enjoy moments like these, and not dismiss them as nothing, so I can’t wait to experience, not one but two evenings of glitz, glamour and celebrations.”

“I would like to thank our fabulous clients and my amazing team because, without them, DiVA Apprenticeships wouldn’t be where it is today.”

Arit founded DiVA out of a passion to work in partnership with employers to ensure people from diverse backgrounds were given opportunities that they might otherwise not have had access to.

Through Government backed Apprenticeships, DiVA has supported over 500 people into creative jobs with employers including All3 Media, Universal Music, UK Music, Southbank Centre, Sadlers Wells, Domino Records, 400 Company, Crossrail, the CBI, CODA and more. DiVA was the first independent training provider in London to be awarded the Creative Skillset Tick in recognition of the outstanding training they provide. Over 95% of DiVA Apprentices’ secure employment with their host employer post apprenticeship.

Arit can be contacted directly on 0203 189 1784.

We understand some employers are struggling to create their online Digital Apprenticeship Service accounts (DAS) so have pulled together a few simple steps for you to follow to access the levy funds in your account.

You will need the following to hand:

• your organisation’s Companies House or Charity number
• your Government Gateway login details for your PAYE schemes (your payroll or Finance department should have this info)
• DiVA UKPRN provider number 10038829

You can access your account here: https://manage-apprenticeships.service.gov.uk/

Once you have added core company information, follow the process below to add DiVA as your training provider:

• From the home page select “Find Training Section” and then
• “Search for training provider”
• Add our UKPRN 10038829 and click “find provider”.

You will then be given the option to confirm DiVA as your training provider.

You also have the option to grant DiVA permission to add details of your apprentices, or you can chose to do this yourself.  The option to grant DiVA permission is at the same point at which you add DiVA as your training provider.

Click here to watch a video featuring an example of how to set up your account.

Contact DiVA on 0203 189 1784 for more information on how we can help you develop successful apprenticeship programmes that support business growth, talent retention and workforce diversity.

 

Today marks the start of the government’s new Apprenticeship Levy, a 0.5% tax on wage bills of more than £3million per year. If you’re an employer in scope for the tax and still unsure how to get started, you’re not alone. Research conducted by the City and Guilds skills group revealed that almost a quarter (23%) of employers polled were not aware of the levy, while 28% were not sure whether it would affect their business.

Your levy funds will sit in your account for 24 months before they start to disappear, so there is time to get a plan in place. Here are seven tips to get you started on your apprenticeship levy recovery plan.

Be clear about business objectives: what are the company’s plans for growth? What kind of skills are needed to get there? Look to align skills development activity with your company objectives. In doing so, you can start to plan and invest wisely.

Identify the skills gaps in your team: employers often say they have skills gaps in the workforce, yet can find it difficult to pinpoint where these gaps are. Look for signs of low morale or murmurs of negative feedback about certain teams or people. You may have a skills gap in your workforce that is causing frustration.

Develop your people: your current and existing staff are just as important as new hires and can benefit from your apprenticeship levy. For example, if your business is anything like mine when something needs to be done it often needs to be done quickly, and it’s a proactive member of the team who jumps in to fill the gap and ends up managing the project or a small team. Wrapping this experience up in a Leadership and Management apprenticeship could provide staff with a stable platform for them to grow.

Look at your recruitment needs: apprenticeships are a great match for support roles such as Office Assistants, IT support staff, Marketing Assistants – those positions that work well for first or second jobbers.

Don’t re-invent the wheel: analyse your existing staff training programmes. For example, a graduate internship scheme could convert well into an apprenticeship programme. If you offer support towards finance or legal qualifications, consider whether you could instead offer higher level apprenticeships in those areas. Consider embedding bespoke soft skills training (e.g. communication, time management, presentation skills) into an apprenticeship programme.

Research the most suitable apprenticeship programmes: once you have a clearer idea of the possible apprenticeship opportunities within your business, you can begin to look at the best apprenticeship programmes to support your needs. You can find a list here or if you get stuck, give DiVA a call – we’re happy to advise.

Decide how you want your training to be delivered: you do need to factor in 20% off the job training. There is flexibility on how this can be achieved so don’t worry if you can’t support weekly day release. For example, activities such as shadowing, attending networking events, online seminars, master-classes, attending relevant off-site training courses, sitting in on meetings as an observer, study days and mentoring all count towards the 20%. At DiVA, we issue Apprentices with a CPD plan where they document all activity and have the form countersigned by their employer and us.

There are two ways of looking at the Apprenticeship Levy. Camp a) a stealth tax that is more hassle than it’s worth or camp b) a training fund (fair enough, it’s by force) that is designed for you to use to invest in workforce diversity, skills development, talent retention and ultimately business growth. I’m a glass half-full kind of woman, so you’ll find me in camp b.

DiVA offers a full apprenticeship levy management service which explores in detail the points noted above and more. To access the support, do give our office a call on 0203 189 1784.

DiVA is pleased to that we have been accepted on to the Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers (RoATP).

As a main provider this means DiVA will be able to:

• Deliver apprenticeship training to employers that will pay the Apprenticeship Levy,
  for any apprenticeships that start on or after 1st May 2017
• Deliver apprenticeship training to our apprentices, or apprentices of our
  connected companies’ for any apprenticeships that start on or after 1st May 2017
  (if we will be paying the Apprenticeship Levy)
• Deliver apprenticeship training as a subcontractor for any apprenticeships that
  start on or after 1st May 2017

The RoATP is a list of organisations approved to deliver apprenticeship training. Organisations listed on the RoATP have been through an application process with the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) that considers due diligence, capability, quality and financial health to assess their capability to deliver high-quality apprenticeship training.

For more information on how DiVA can help you develop an apprenticeship programme that helps you fully recover your levied payments from HMRC, supports skills development, workforce diversity and talent retention contact Arit or Umar on 0203 189 1784.

If you are aged 35, 40 and above, and are looking for work or the opportunity to change careers, few will blame you for thinking an apprenticeship is not for you. Marketing is aimed at those young enough to be your son, daughter, niece or nephew, and most apprenticeship vacancies are for entry level roles you could do in your sleep.

The biggest driver of this is the funding – the majority of employers offering apprenticeships are SMEs who currently access a government subsidy to hire apprentices below the age of 24 who are non-graduates. However, things are about to change. As of May, 1st 2017 the government is introducing a flat fee to train an apprentice that is not capped by age. For the first time, anyone aged 16 and above, non-grads to post grads, new and existing employees will now have an equal opportunity to do an apprenticeship.

However, are you ever too old to be an apprentice?

I think not, and here are six ways I believe Apprenticeships are a win-win for mature folk and their employer.

1. Experience:  No amount of training can substitute for decades of work experience. Mature Apprentices have a better understanding of the workplace, have developed transferable skills that enable them to hit the ground running with minimum supervision, bringing a faster return on investment.
2. Workforce diversity:  Apprenticeships offer caregivers who are usually women, the opportunity to come back to the workforce following a career break to raise children. As an Apprentice, returners benefit from an opportunity to receive training, and work experience to bring their skills up-to-date and employers get experienced professionals they could not otherwise afford. Apprenticeships can also be undertaken on a part-time basis adding flexibility for both employer and Apprentice.
3. Advanced communication skills: Letters, telephone calls and face-to-face conversations may be “so last season” to some, however, to us middle-aged folk they have never truly gone out of style. Knowing how and when to communicate and navigate your way through workplace politics comes through experiences that younger Apprentices have not yet developed.
4. No time to waste: Recruitment is an expensive exercise and one that is wasted if your whippersnapper of an Apprentice opts to jump ship after a few months due to a change of heart. Contrarily, opting to do an apprenticeship later in life is not something you decide to do on a whim, particularly if you have family and financial obligations. As such, mature Apprentices are more likely to be interested in and dedicated to the job at hand.
5. Multi-skilled and adaptable: The career path experienced by mature Apprentices may have taken them through a variety of roles from general admin to office management. They may have worked in a freelance capacity or had a portfolio career holding down jobs in small teams to corporates in a variety of industries. Whatever their journey they have mastered essential skills along the way that will add value to any business.
6. Cost Effective:  With a rise in the number of Higher and Degree Apprenticeships available, Apprenticeships are a cost-effective way for Apprentice and employer to build up their skills base. There are no training costs for the Apprentice, and the government will pay 90% of the cost of training for those companies not in scope to pay the Apprenticeship Levy. Admittedly, Apprenticeship salaries can be low. However, many employers pay significantly more than the minimum wage guidelines, and for existing employees, there should be no reduction in your salary.

We are not discounting the tremendous impact made by younger apprentices, rather encouraging mature folk not to count themselves out of the race before it’s started. Hiring Managers should also think outside of the box when it comes to developing an apprenticeship programme, and in considering who an apprentice could be. Older apprentices have a valuable contribution to make to any workforce. Let’s make the most of their work experiences and life skills, which in themselves are priceless.

Contact DiVA on 0203 189 1784 For more information on how you as an employer or individual can get started with Apprenticeships.