The tech sector is offering young adults a second chance
From an unemployed 16-year-old to a motivated and highly driven young adult with an appetite for working in tech. How QA, the government and the tech industry are creating life-changing career opportunities for young people in the UK.
- Valuable training and work experience opportunity - designed for those with low GCSE grades
- Helping to tackle the UK’s digital skills crisis
- Celebration event took place, in Reading, where young people ‘graduated’ from a traineeship with Microsoft
QA, the UK’s leading tech and IT training company and apprenticeship provider, has been working with some of the world’s largest organisations and SME’s to offer a second chance to young adults who have struggled with the traditional academic route – supporting them to start a career in tech. This government-funded traineeship initiative aims to get young people into jobs and QA’s programme is helping to tackle the UK’s digital skills crisis, as outlined in this year’s government report.* Shortly before Christmas, a celebration event took place at Microsoft’s offices, in Reading, where a group of young people from the Thames Valley, who have recently completed a traineeship programme with QA and Microsoft, presented how the traineeship had transformed their lives, and provided them with an unexpected and exciting career opportunity.
Ben Pike, Managing Director of QA’s apprenticeship and traineeship division, says “It is incredible to see first-hand the significant impact this programme is having on young people’s lives. We want to show young people that even without the backing of good qualifications and GCSE grades there is still hope for them to have a great career in a digital or tech role. Being part of a traineeship programme that involves a fantastic work placement with a tech giant, such as Microsoft, is an outstanding opportunity that these young people are making the most of. Their success encourages employers to look beyond GCSE results, to see how their businesses could benefit from the fresh ideas and enthusiasm of these ‘digital natives.”
Many of the young adults on traineeships have finished school, with minimal qualifications, limited job prospects, and with low self-esteem. QA’s Traineeship provides these young people with a route to gain the skills, qualifications and experience that can help them move into an apprenticeship or other paid work. Not only does it give young people a second chance, it will also help this country tackle the digital skills crisis, which is negatively impacting our economy. In the recent government report, ‘The Digital Skills Crisis’ (June 2016)*, it states that investment in developing young people in tech and IT is required urgently in order to see a significant improvement of the digital skills gap for the next decade. “The evidence is clear that the UK faces a digital skills crisis. Although comparative nations are facing similar challenges, only urgent action from industry, schools and universities and from the Government can prevent this skills crisis from damaging our productivity and economic competitiveness.”
Sarah Foxall, Corporate Affairs Manager at Microsoft said “For young people without basic qualifications, accessing the opportunity of an apprenticeship can be challenging. This program provides trainees with a chance to learn and grow, time and support to explore their employment interests, and opportunities to demonstrate their potential. The Microsoft staff who support the program are all volunteers – this would not be possible without their commitment to help others. We have seen the trainees make tremendous progress, and we’re delighted to be celebrating the results of their efforts and the contributions of everyone involved.”
As part of the traineeship - young people receive high-quality training, which is funded by government, at QA’s training centre in Reading, as well as a structured work placement at organisations such as Microsoft. Following that they are eligible to apply for an apprenticeship, or for a job elsewhere. The young people do not pay anything for this experience, it is all funded by Government. QA work with many organisations throughout the UK, providing trainees. The traineeship route gives local young people from disadvantaged backgrounds a great chance to have a fulfilling career ahead of them, and boost their confidence.
After completion of a traineeship the young adults are eligible to apply for an apprenticeship.
Hussain Gulfraz, from Earley, completed a traineeship with QA and Microsoft when he was 17, and was working in retail before hearing about the traineeship opportunity, and explains how the opportunity has changed his life unexpectedly, “The traineeship with QA and Microsoft has allowed me to progress onto an apprenticeship, meaning that I now have a job in the local area at a web design agency, doing front-end development work. I get paid a salary and study at the same time. I would not be doing what I am doing now, without the traineeship opportunity provided by QA and Microsoft, because I didn’t get the GCSE grades that I wanted - so didn’t think I would be able to start a career in anything that I wanted to do. Before I was enrolled on the traineeship, I was still in employment but working in retail. I never expected to be where I am now 1 year after taking the traineeship”.
Notes
Our next traineeship opportunity with Microsoft, Reading, starts in February 2017. Applications are available via the QA website. QA also offers traineeship opportunities with other organisations throughout the UK.
More information about QA Apprenticeships – and their traineeship programmes is available from [email protected].
About QA Apprenticeships
QA Apprenticeships provide IT, tech and business apprenticeships and traineeships. The first IT apprenticeships business to be graded Ofsted ‘Outstanding’, their apprenticeship programmes were described as “world-class”. QA’s programmes blend high-quality training with real-world experience in the workplace, and are designed to upskill local talent with training relevant to their job roles. Their wide range of programmes include industry-recognised qualifications and accreditations from City & Guilds, Microsoft, CompTIA, ACA and the APM.
The traineeships at Microsoft are part of a 12 week programme, more information can be found at http://apprenticeships.qa.com/programmes/traineeships.
QA Apprenticeships is part of QA LTD. QA LTD comprises of four divisions - QA Learning, QA Apprenticeships, QA Consulting and QA Higher Education - and offers a unique blend of resourcing and training solutions that deliver immediate and lasting value. QA works with 80% of FTSE 250 organisations and the civil service – at organisations based throughout the UK.