Kirklees Council Apprenticeship scheme APSE Seminar Old Trafford, Manchester

[email protected] Kirklees Kirklees covers 161 square miles and stretches from the high moorlands of the Pennines (including part of the Peak National Park) around Marsden and Holmfirth in the west to the edge of Bradford, Leeds and Wakefield in the east. The M62 motorway traverses the northern edge of the borough.

Being at the centre of the country with excellent transport links, Kirklees is easy to get to, from all areas of the country. Challenges

• National skills gap

• Ageing workforce/VER’s

• Acute shortage of people with the right skills to plan, design, manage and maintain our parks and open spaces

• New challenges in an ever changing environment- Streetscene approach

• Budget cutbacks Green spaces • Parks and gardens • Natural and semi-natural urban green spaces • Green corridors • Outdoor sports facilities • Amenity green space • Provision for children and teenagers • Allotments, community gardens • Cemeteries and churchyards • Accessible countryside in urban fringe areas • Civic spaces Kirklees Apprenticeship scheme

• Open Evenings held at Huddersfield and Dewsbury Town halls

• Interviews plus test

• 10 Apprentices recruited and located throughout Kirklees working in diverse areas of industry

• Structured programme of work for each apprentice

• Mentor for each apprentice Kirklees Apprenticeship scheme • Induction • Machinery training • Health and safety • HR issues • Presentations (Importance of POS, etc) • Customer care • Meet the College/Colleagues/teams • Dealing with difficult customers • Lifting and handling • Vehicle inspections • First aid Kirklees Apprenticeship scheme

• 6 Mentors from full time staff

• NVQ Level 2 Amenity Horticulture

• Bishop Burton-Training Provider 1 day per week

• Plus away days Apprentice workshops

• Landscape design

• Turf management

• Herbaceous planting

• Marking out sports facilities Other initiatives to improve Apprentice training • Mentoring - Apprentices & FJF staff - staff development • A1 Assessor course - Currently, there are 4 members of staff who have completed the A1 assessor course. The staff will now be able to assess other members of grounds maintenance staff on various horticultural tasks, which will enable the learner to work towards their NVQ./Diploma • Special projects • Nursery- using potting machine to re-pot herbaceous perennials- ready for end of May planting • Countryside – Tree planting Kirklees Apprenticeship scheme 2011

• A further 10 apprentices recruited to the workforce. • Funding gained from the Greenskills initiative. • The apprentices will be working towards a diploma in Amenity horticulture over the next 12 months. Benefits so far • Job satisfaction, for staff who work alongside trainees/staff morale, additional training opportunities • Sense of ownership • Up skilled workforce • New enthusiasm • Succession planning • Improved Green Spaces • More local people in work • National Recognition for schemes • Additional funding Greenskills for additional 10 apprentices