Why do employers keep spending their apprenticeship levy on managers?

It’s your levy to spend where you need it. So where are your training gaps? In which departments do you struggle to recruit and retain staff, or to create a pipeline of talent for internal promotion? Effective management by confident and competent managers improves employee morale and retention. Skilled managers get the best from their team, which in turn helps the bottom line and makes the workplace a nicer place to be. So investing in your managers is an investment in the whole company. 

 

One common scenario is that someone who is very skilled in their job role gets promoted and is suddenly running a team without any formal training. This might also mean managing a group that used to be their peers. This is where training in communication, leadership and conflict management can be invaluable. A trainer provides guidance to support with this tricky transition. Management apprenticeships teach theories and models that can help a new manager to bring some order to what might seem like chaos. Crucially an apprenticeship is practical. Employees are fully supported along the way by a trainer who can put what they’re learning into context. They’ll use real scenarios from your workplace and their team. 

 

When the FE press bemoan the use of the apprenticeship levy on “management” they give the impression that money is being wasted on fat cats; highly paid, grey haired managers sitting in their corner office. In our experience employers don’t waste their levy accrediting skills that are already established. They use management apprenticeships to upskill junior managers, whatever age they are, and make sure they have all the right skills and behaviours to run an effective team. An apprenticeship gives managers the time and support to reflect on their practice, and build their confidence and skills so they go back to their team energised and ready to lead. 

 

Find out more about Leadership & Management Apprenticeships 

 

 

 

“I really enjoyed the modules on Communication, Managing People, Leading People, Management of Self and Self-Awareness. I felt that the theories I researched and tasks completed were really applicable to my role and helped me approach situations differently and with a wider skillset. Sandra was extremely supportive, adaptive to feedback and extremely passionate about learning and the diploma and she was a real ambassador for apprenticeships and Fareport. 

 

“The qualification has helped me out massively to see how a business is run. Not just in my store but as a whole company. It has helped me see the weaknesses that I possessed and how I can improve on them such as conflict in my own team and having difficult conversations. The highlights have been an improved store due to me finding better way of delegating and managing my team. It has been a great experience and I am extremely pleased that I have passed to further my career in the future". 

 

Contact us for free advice on using your levy.