It’s clear from a straw poll earlier this summer that companies who like the idea of an apprenticeship have a real struggle connecting to the right talent, and the opportunity to bring in new thinking and lived experience collapses – it’s just too much to organise.
In any other situation, the response would be to drop back, brainstorm the issues and form a plan.
Can we do this ourselves? Are we using the right communication channels? Do we need to bring in a freelancer? Do we need a partner in a joint venture? Do we simply buy-in the service?
These are all professional, creative responses we use all the time.
My aim for the last 15 years has been to better understand the dynamics of creative opportunity – through collaboration, mentoring and brokering, so here are some thoughts :
Build your own talent pool – lots of companies hold open days, portfolio sessions, and with projects like Fiasco’s Tracking, BCI’s Internship programme or Halo’s Werkshop Weekender, we’re even grouping those together to make them stronger.
So, stay in touch with the interesting people, give them thoughtful feedback and they’ll get more employable. They may feel they’ve broken into their dream industry – don’t just drop them.
Get closer to the talent – not just by suddenly launching on TikTok (something akin to “dad-dancing”), but by connecting through the organisations they trust – whether that’s Creative Youth Network, Babbasa, KWMC or the others in the region.
Engage an Expert – evidence from other industries from BAe Systems to Thatchers Cider shows apprentices grow in the company culture and out-compete their graduate intake, so it can be a great investment – and a small creative company is simply the BEST place to learn!
So, work out what you need, how it is easily supported by your company culture – maybe with a junior buddy as well as management mentoring – and what the career path will be.
Engaging with a specialist company such as Creative Alliance, Professional Apprenticeships or Working Knowledge will guide this process, help with screening and provide the training outside the workplace.
Across the next month, there will be more developments, so keep an eye on the BCI website, and join in the discussions – especially if you employed a dream apprentice or have been terminally frustrated! Together we can change the picture.
VID is a consultancy run by Paul Appleby, developing collaborations in creative technology and promoting the region nationally.
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