If you’re thinking about the next move in your career or even a total change of course, you’d be wise to contact McGinley Support Services.
As one of the UK’s largest specialist recruitment businesses serving the infrastructure sector, McGinley boasts an established Rail apprenticeship programme designed to build success on track. The company offers fantastic opportunities to work with leading companies, earn a salary, and have your tuition fees paid in full.
Building on this, the company has just been approved by the Department of Education as one of only 15 Flexi-Job Apprenticeship Agencies, offering opportunities to apprentices and giving contractors the flexibility to meet apprenticeship targets with short term projects. The firm is committed to training 120-150 apprentices between May 2022 and April 2023.
While McGinley invests heavily in apprentices, companies can also help by coming forward as a host employer providing work, or by sharing a portion of their apprenticeship levy funding to contribute to training costs.
Host employers needed
Flexi-Job apprenticeship agencies like McGinley employ apprentices and place them with one or more host employers to complete part or all their on-site learning. A traditional apprenticeship requires a minimum commitment of at least 12 months, which can be a challenge in the infrastructure sector where work is often project based and can be short term. The new flexi-apprenticeship scheme helps companies unable to commit to the full duration of an apprenticeship.
Companies can instead act as host employer for a shorter period of between 3 and 12 months, yet still benefit from helping an apprentice start their career. McGinley’s responsibility as part of the scheme is to place apprentices on multiple projects, moving them to the next host employer within the rail and construction industries so the learner gains experience with different employers and in different sectors.
The learners are managed by a trained team and will develop with support from an onsite mentor, site manager, plus guidance from current workers and ex-apprentices. On top of this they gain valuable skills and industry-recognised qualifications including PTS or CSCS, with 20% of the programme spent training off-site while being paid with a 30-hour minimum contract.
Opportunities on offer
McGinley is running several Flexi-Job apprenticeships suitable for the rail and construction sectors, including:
- Level 2 Rail Engineering Operative – 14-month Apprenticeship programme
- Level 2 Transport Network Operations – 12-month programme
- Level 3 Rail Engineering Technician – 36-month programme
- Level 2 Construction Groundworker, or Construction Plant Operative – 15-months
Rail Engineering Operatives provide support to Rail Technicians and Engineers. The training covers track, overhead line electrification and signalling, plus safety critical awareness. Those working in rail engineering are responsible for the safe construction, installation, maintenance and renewal of the track to provide a safe and reliable railway for customers. The rail industry has a high level of safety critical work activities requiring a disciplined and responsible approach.
Share your Levy
McGinley is also looking for companies that have part-used or unspent levy pots and who would be willing to pledge part of their levy to help fund the training. Current regulations permit all apprenticeship levy payers to share up to 25% of their levy funding with government accredited Apprenticeship Agencies.
As the industry faces a skills gap, it is essential we encourage more people to get the right skills and to join the rail and civil engineering sector. Sharing the levy will help more apprentices into training and work. It also counts towards social value targets and provides opportunities for apprentices to get the experience they need to achieve their apprenticeship qualification with McGinley Support Services and Training providers.
If you are a levy paying business and want to find out more about pledging funds for a rail and construction apprenticeship, or could act as a host employer, please get in touch.
For all queries about flex-job apprenticeships, please contact Lisa Cunningham on 0333 023 5429 or email [email protected]
