Apprenticeship Support and Knowledge for Schools and Colleges (ASK) Programme

Following a successful second year of delivery, SCTP is delighted to announce that it will be continuing in the new academic year to deliver the Apprenticeships Support and Knowledge for Schools (ASK) programme in East Sussex, West Sussex and Brighton & Hove. The delivery contract has been awarded by charity, and SCTP member, CXK, who have been contracted to deliver the programme across the South region. The contract with the Department for Education (DfE) will focus on assisting schools with their statutory duty to provide impartial careers advice and guidance to young people by providing them with a package of comprehensive support and information about apprenticeships, traineeships and T levels. It is fully funded by the DfE and is therefore free to access for all schools. The reach of the programme has already seen 4,230 schools and colleges, 1.1 million students and 35,000 teachers engaged in finding out more about apprenticeships. In 2020/21 SCTP engaged with 9746 pupils, 563 parents, and 70 teachers in 62 Sussex schools.

The ASK programme supports the government objective to improve awareness of apprenticeships, driving growth in applications, supporting progression, and increasing the engagement of young people, parents and teachers. The 2021/22 programme reflects the impact of COVID-19 and continues with a blended offer of activities that can be delivered remotely or face-to-face to schools, colleges, and other stakeholder organisations. Following a planning meeting, where the school’s engagement with apprenticeships is reflected upon and discussed, each school engaged can select from a menu of activities such as:

  • Awareness around apprenticeships and employment pathways, such as traineeships and T levels
  • Application and registration workshops for students in years 11-13
  • Interactive in-person and virtual employability support such as apprenticeship application skills, interview skills and preparing for apprenticeship assessment centres
  • Teacher CPD sessions including an introduction to apprenticeships for teachers, support with linking subjects to apprenticeships, information about progression pathways and higher apprenticeships
  • Parents presentations including an introduction to apprenticeships, information about employment pathways including traineeships and T Levels and how to support your child in searching and applying workshops

In addition to the above direct delivery, we will also work with schools to support them to access the extensive bank of resources and information available on www.apprenticeships.gov.uk, including how to link ASK activities to the Gatsby benchmarks, and how to help embed apprenticeship information within careers delivery.

The ASK programme also provides advice to students at an earlier age, with resources to support students in KS3, to help spark an interest in the apprenticeship pathway and give them more time to consider the wide variety of apprenticeship options available to them.

To request support, schools and colleges in Sussex can email us at info@sctp.org.uk and we will be in contact to discuss the options.

 

                         

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