Monday saw the start of National Apprenticeship Week; a week-long event devoted to celebrating apprenticeships and the positive effect they have both on individuals and on businesses. It’s a topic that’s very close to our hearts at Cohaesus, with the tech industry battling a much discussed skills shortage.

We’re committed to providing opportunities locally. Last year we were lucky enough to take on two new apprentices: Chris and Michael. There are heaps of great initiatives on offer to help you source and train apprentices but Firebrand Apprentices was a really good fit for us. Working alongside Microsoft and the Tech Partnership, its Trailblazer programme has been fantastic, allowing us to provide our apprentices with training on the ground, getting stuck into projects straight away.

The Trailblazer initiative has brought in a new set of apprenticeship standards. These have been designed to give employers confidence that their apprentice is able to develop the skills they need to make a real contribution.  It’s a great example of how organisations can join forces, getting involved in a programme that is mutually beneficial and that provides young people with the right expertise.

As part of National Apprenticeship Week, Chris and Michael headed off to take part in a photoshoot last week. Taking place alongside Creative Skillset (the industry skills body for the creative industries) the event saw Chris and Michael join a host of apprentices from different sectors to discuss how apprenticeships have provided them with new opportunities as well as some of the tools that are available to them including Hiive.

National Apprenticeship Week 2016

National Apprenticeship Week 2016 – source: The Independent

Dubbed as LinkedIn for the creative industries, the site is designed to connect professionals, employers and educators, allowing users to tap into the UK’s collective industry. It’s not just about finding a job though. It encourages people to grow their network in order to share insights, talk to people about opportunities, trends and the wider industry.

Technology is often included in the same bracket as glamourous creative vocations such as TV, fashion or design. These are fantastic career paths in their own right but it’s important that we don’t forget to champion tech, making sure we sell in the idea of coding with a bit more enthusiasm! There are huge benefits to embarking on a career as a developer – you get to bring to life some amazing projects, working with cool, global brands. Added to this, in an industry that is desperate for talent, it can be very lucrative.

We’ll be discussing all things skills-related at the Skills & Industry Day at City and Islington College in London today. We’re always on the hunt for new talent so stop by and say hello or tweet us @cohaesus!