With the introduction of short 8-month apprenticeships, Nottingham College are at the forefront of this development. These apprenticeships are part of the government's plan to reduce the minimum duration of apprenticeships to 8 months and provide more flexibility in English and maths requirements.
The three areas of focus are:
1. Green Energy: Focused on developing skills for the renewable energy sector.
2. Healthcare: Aimed at addressing the urgent need for qualified healthcare professionals.
3. Film and TV Production: Designed to support the growing demand in the creative industries.
These are the initial trailblazers however Skills England are looking at which other apprenticeships could potentially be successful if shortened to these durations. Currently Nottingham College offers a short apprenticeship in healthcare. The benefit would be to provide intensive packages with training frontloaded to be able to ensure that the high quality of delivery for employers and learners is still there. This will train people quicker, reduce costs to the business and may encourage more companies to take on apprentices.
Nottingham College have a free recruitment service to provide support and advice around apprenticeships that will help businesses adapt to these changes.
