The_Times_PNA_3_These_schemes_are_a_real

Mudliar admits he had some initial reservations about hosting students. “Because they’re young, the concern was what their attitude to work would be like, and whether we’d have the time and resources to constantly monitor and manage them. I personally have no teaching experience and I wasn’t sure of the level of input I’d have to provide for them to get on and deliver.” He says he’s been pleasantly surprised. “The experience has been excellent, they’ve surpassed everything I imagined. They’re so bright and they really want to work hard and impress us. They’ve helped us deliver projects on time, given us ideas we would not necessarily have thought of, and provided us with the opportunity to become better managers. We do our best to keep an open forum for them to express their views.” The company has gone on to hire five apprentices, two of whom had previously done T Level placements, because of the success of the programme. “It highlighted to us that it was possible to build a young workforce. These schemes are a real asset,” Mudliar says. For other employers thinking about offering work placements to T Level students, he would recommend starting by building a strong relationship with a local college provider. “They can help gauge which students are most likely to work best in your business,” he says. “And don’t take on too many at once – it might feel overwhelming if you don’t have the resources to manage them effectively. Hosting between three and five students has worked best for us. They do need some guidance, but don’t underestimate them. Their ability seems to shine when you give them critical tasks and have trust in them to deliver. You’ll be surprised at how much they can bring to your business.”

The courses form part of a range of government backed work-based training programmes – one IT chief says his company has felt real benefits from taking part

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Find out more about training and employment schemes for your business at find-employer-schemes.education.gov.uk

The experience has been excellent, the students have surpassed everything I imagined

‘These schemes are a real asset’

T Level students help employers close the skills gap

There is a range of government programmes available for employers who want to invest in workplace training and employment schemes.

Apprenticeships – Available to people over the age of 16, with no upper age limit, apprenticeships last for a minimum of 12 months and can stretch all the way to a master’s degree equivalent (level seven). Apprentices spend 80 per cent of the time in a workplace and 20 per cent of the time in the classroom. The government will pay up to 95 per cent of training costs, depending on the size of the business. If the apprentice is under 25 and meets certain criteria, employers can also receive £1,000 to help pay for other costs.

T Levels – A new qualification for students aged 16 to 19, and equivalent to three A-levels. Students spend 80 per cent of the time in the classroom but will complete a minimum 45-day placement with a relevant organisation. Companies do not have to pay students for the placement (although many choose to do so). By September 2025, there will be 25 T Level courses in England, covering 11 skill areas, with more expected to be added in the future.

Sector-based Work Academy Programmes – Known as SWAPs, these programmes help those receiving unemployment benefits to apply for jobs in a new area of work and are organised in partnership with the local Jobcentre Plus office (in England and Scotland). The programmes include a work experience placement, which tends to run for six weeks. There is no direct cost to the employer – all training and administration costs are covered by the government.

Skills Bootcamps – Free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks for people aged 19 or over. These are co-designed with employers to respond to skills shortages and are currently available in digital courses, such as marketing or coding, technical training including construction, logistics or engineering, and green sector skills, such as solar energy or agriculture technology. Large employers contribute 30 per cent of the cost if they want to use bootcamps to train existing employees, with SMEs covering 10 per cent of the cost.

Multiply – A new government-funded programme to help adults improve their numeracy skills. Those aged 19 and over without Maths GCSE at grade C (or equivalent) can access free numeracy courses through Multiply to build confidence with numbers and gain a qualification. Good numeracy skills unlock job opportunities and lead to higher wages or prepare individuals for further study. Multiply includes courses for beginners and more advanced courses such as GCSE Maths, Functional Skills Qualifications, or equivalent. Online tutorials and content are available, enabling individuals to learn at a pace that suits them.

Keep your business moving – search “Skills Revolution”

HTQs – Higher Technical Qualifications are either new or existing Level 4 or 5 qualifications, such as HNDs, Diploma HEs or Foundation Degrees, which have been approved by the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education for meeting occupational standards for the relevant sector and are delivered by industry experts. HTQs with a focus on digital roles were launched in September 2022, with qualifications in construction and health to follow. HTQs are designed for students aged 18 and over who are looking for high-skilled jobs in a range of sectors, although they can also suit those looking to retrain or upskill.

The workforce of tomorrow

You know they’re getting the up-to-date knowledge and skills that you need as an organisation

There are a range of government programmes available for employers who want to invest in workplace training and employment schemes.

Sector-based Work Academy Programmes – Known as SWAPs, this programme helps those receiving unemployment benefits to apply for jobs in a new area of work and are organised in partnership with the local Jobcentre Plus office (in England and Scotland). The programme includes a work experience placement, which tends to run for six weeks. There is no direct cost to the employer – all training and administration costs are covered by the government.

Multiply – A new government-funded programme to help adults improve their numeracy skills. Those aged 19 and over without Maths GCSE at grade C (or equivalent) can access free numeracy courses through Multiply to build confidence with numbers and gain a qualification. Good numeracy skills unlock job opportunities and lead to higher wages or prepare individuals for further study. Multiply includes courses for beginners to more advanced courses such as GCSE Maths, Functional Skills Qualifications, or equivalent. Online tutorials and content is available, enabling individuals to learn at a pace that suits them.

HTQs – Higher Technical Qualifications are either new or existing Level 4 or 5 qualifications, such as HNDs, Diploma HEs or Foundation Degrees, which have been approved by the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education for meeting occupational standards for the relevant sector and are delivered by industry experts. HTQs with a focus on digital roles were launched in September 2022, with qualifications in construction and health to follow. HTQs are designed for students aged 18 and over who are looking for high-skilled jobs in a range of sectors, although it can also suit those looking to retrain or upskill.

Keep your business moving – search “Skills Revolution”

“It sounded great. We could pick and choose who we wanted,” he adds. “The students are young, enthusiastic, skilled and they’ve got great ideas. I like the two-way exchange where they share what they’re learning right now. We want to be at the top of our game.” T Level courses are two years long and the equivalent of three A-levels. They include 45 days’ industry placement, scheduled to suit the student and business. At Yandiya, students tend to work at the company one day a week (although there are occasional week-long blocks). Ben Kirkby and Tom Goggin are both currently on placements while studying level three T Levels in digital production, design and development at Fareham College. They’ve been working on a number of IT projects with Mudliar, including website maintenance (front and back end), database management and mobile app development. They’ve learned new programming languages and how to develop professional-grade software. “It was the practical aspect that really appealed to me,” Kirkby says about deciding to study for a T Level. “We have a lot of freedom to do things, and when we encounter a problem, we can work together to solve it.” “I didn’t expect for them to trust us on such big projects straight away,” Goggin adds. “It’s been great that we’ve been given this opportunity. I’ve got lots of friends doing A-levels in similar subjects and they have nowhere near the practical experience that we do.”

The company has gone on to hire five apprentices, two of whom had previously done T Level placements, because of the success of the programme

Hiring the right people has never been easy. But with three out of four companies struggling to fill roles in 2022, according to the British Chambers of Commerce, recruitment issues are starting to significantly hold back productivity, innovation and growth. The Learning and Work Institute estimates the skills shortage will cost the UK £120 billion by 2030, with a shortfall of 2.5 million highly skilled workers. Sectors such as hospitality, construction, transport and healthcare are particularly affected, and 55 per cent of private and public sector employees polled in another survey say their workplaces are experiencing a digital skills gap. At Yandiya Technologies, IT director Prabhu Mudliar has taken a proactive approach to finding talent and building the skills the business needs. The company, which specialises in the design development, manufacture and distribution of infrared heating solutions, has been hosting T Level students for the past two years. Mudliar and his two co-founders initially stumbled upon the scheme while exploring cost-effective ways to build capacity. “We knew we had to expand but didn’t have the capital to invest in employees straight away,” he says. “We approached our local college in Fareham, Hampshire, and they introduced us to T Levels. “It sounded great. We could pick and choose who we wanted,” he adds. “The students are young, enthusiastic, skilled and they’ve got great ideas. I like the two-way exchange where they share what they’re learning right now. We want to be at the top of our game.” T Level courses are two years long and the equivalent of three A levels. They include 45 days' industry placement, scheduled to suit the student and business. At Yandiya, students tend to work at the company one day a week (although there are occasional week-long blocks). Ben Kirkby and Tom Goggin are both currently on placements while studying level three T Levels in digital production, design and development at Fareham College.

The experience has been excellent, the students have surpassed everything I imagined