The Apprenticeship courses building the leaders of the future

Now that a vast new range of apprenticeship courses have become available, learners have more power than ever to decide their futures. The new apprenticeships offer a far greater choice of business related areas, as opposed to the trade and manual skill focus of the past. People of all ages now have the opportunity to acquire and demonstrate their soft skillset; from sales to human resources, management, customer service and a host of other core business skills.

One of the key areas, which formal academic training has overlooked in the past, is leadership and management. As the new apprenticeships have been developed by employers and industry bodies, this is a skill shortage which is finally being addressed. Previously, employees might have been promoted to more senior positions without any real training in how to be an effective manager and motivational leader. As a result, there are many poor managers out there who just haven’t developed the skillset required.

At an introductory level, the apprenticeship course which can set these staff on the right trajectory early on is Team Leader Level 3. The course is designed to deliver the key skills of team building, data analysis, management and appraisal, leading meetings and setting goals and objectives among others. For someone new to, or due to progress into a more senior position with management responsibilities, Team Leader is an excellent way to support and aid their transition.

At a more advanced level the most suitable course on offer is Operational Manager Level 5. At a qualification level equivalent to a Foundation Degree, this course offers every piece of knowledge and skill which makes a great leader and manager.  The core areas addressed include problem solving, setting KPIs, project management, financial forecasting and management systems to name just a few elements. Again, these are skills that when moving up from a less senior position, are something that need to be acquired.

Want to find out more about the new apprenticeship schemes? Visit our Apprenticeships section.