What makes a good programme or service?

At Apprentify we specialise in digital marketing apprenticeships.  From the very start we made sure that what we offered was the very best and what employers and apprentices were asking for.

For the first 3 months we spent a lot of time doing lots of research and designing.  We directly spoke to over 100 employers and apprentices not just about digital marketing but about apprenticeships as a whole.  We asked a few simple questions:

1. What works for you right now?
2. What areas need improving?
3. Who do it the best and why?
4. If you could have a magic wand what would you change?

Time and time again employers told us there were 3 main issues with apprenticeships they had utilised over the last few years:

1. The recruitment of new talent that was out into apprenticeship roles was poor. Apprentices need to be of a certain type of behaviour and with drive, tenacity and all this had to come with time management.Not only this the apprentice needs to have a passion for the role they are going into such as digital marketing.  Employers were telling us that the apprentices were leaving after 6 or 12 months as they just not right or just did not want a career in digital marketing.  Apprentices were telling us that an apprenticeship was just not right for them or even a career in digital marketing, so they left.This is why recruitment is vital to the whole success of an apprenticeship.  Apprentify designed a whole process that takes up to 6 hours of assessment across a range of apprenticeship and digital marketing tasks.  Therefore, we know that an apprentice will be right and where they will shine.  Most importantly we identify that they want it from the bottom of their heart and not just a job in digital because it sounds cool
2. Classroom Training is very popular, and engagement was generally classed as very good.  However, employers were telling us the amount of out of the office training in venues miles away from the office was far too much and unnecessary.They also felt that because they were classroom training, they used out of date knowledge and techniques.
3. The final output of the apprentices.  Digital marketing especially is a programme that provides well rounded digital marketers.  This is great for the apprentice and the employer they get to focus on most areas that are important. Employers were involved from day one in the trailblazer groups but how can they develop something for everyone.  Most employers simply want an apprentice that will be experienced or enhanced in a certain discipline, something that gives them a true ROI.So the best digital marketing apprenticeship providers design something that drives extra skills, knowledge and behaviours that an employer and apprentice can harness.At Apprentify we have developed our unique path to mastery which are four paths that are not part of the apprenticeship standard.  These paths help develop extra skills, knowledge and behaviours.
4. Best coaches and trainers. The very best apprenticeship providers have coaches that have walked the walk within the digital marketing industry.The Apprentify coaches have all been digital marketing managers or worked agency side.  We also ensure that every coach does a few industry days each year.