Preferred Suppliers

The College does not hold a list of preferred suppliers and utilises a number of purchasing consortia, such as; the Crescent Purchasing Consortium (CPC) the Southern University Purchasing Consortium (SUPC), the Crown Commercial Services (CCS), amongst others, and we encourage our staff to use suppliers available through these consortia’s framework agreements.

Suppliers on these framework agreements have won their inclusion through full EU tender exercises.

How much will I be paid?

Apprentices can earn while they learn and do not need to worry about paying back student loans.

The National Minimum Wage for apprentices between 16-18 (or anyone in their first year of an apprenticeship) is £4.15 per hour (will be £4.81 per hour from 1st April 2022). All other apprentices are entitled to the standard National Minimum Wage for their age, however many employers pay over this.

Level 2 apprenticeships average between £180 and £200 per week, and Level 3 and 4 apprenticeships usually pay more, with employers often increasing wages in line with skills, experience and qualifications.

Will I get a job at the end?

Gaining relevant skills, experience, qualifications and business etiquette in an industry setting is a great way to impress future employers. While there is no complete guarantee of a job after an apprenticeship, the figures are extremely encouraging. Higher apprentices could earn £150,000 more on average over their lifetime compared to those with Level 3 vocational qualifications.

Those who start on Level 2 programmes often progress onto Level 3 higher and Level 4 advanced apprenticeships. Your son or daughter could start on the apprenticeship route as a school leaver, and learn to be a highly qualified and experienced professional within a few years.

What will the Apprenticeship involve?

Apprenticeship training can take place at a local college one day a week or at the employer’s business. The training provides students with relevant competences for their chosen industry or profession. Those students without GCSE English and Maths also have the opportunity to study literacy, numeracy and IT skills.

Apprentices work alongside experienced staff, gaining job-specific skills, nationally recognised qualifications and a wage. Apprentices also take part in work-related study to towards their qualification.

What levels are there?

Intermediate – Level 2 equivalent to five GCSE passes

Advanced – Level 3 equivalent to two A Levels

Higher – Can lead to NVQ Level 4 (equivalent to a Foundation Degree)

What qualifications will I get?

Apprenticeships offer a wealth of different qualifications in all job and career sectors. Apprenticeships offer NVQs, often along with BTEC qualifications. Apprenticeships are a minimum of 12 month duration dependent on the level, subject and employer.

SOME KEY FACTS

  • 86% of employers said apprenticeships helped them develop skills relevant to their organisation
  • 78% of employers said apprenticeships helped them improve productivity
  • 74% of employers said apprenticeships helped them improve the quality of their product or service

In 2019/20, there were 719,000 people participating in an apprenticeship in England, with 322,500 apprenticeship starts and 146,900 apprenticeship achievements.

Recruitment and Employment of Ex-Offenders

Brooklands College is a ‘designated place’. All posts involve contact with children and vulnerable young adults and are therefore exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act, 1974. Applicants for positions at the College are required to provide details of all relevant convictions, spent or unspent, or cautions, and if there are any court actions pending.

Existing staff are required to inform the Principal of any criminal charges, cautions or convictions during the period of their employment.

The College is also subject to the provisions of the Protection of Children Act, 1999 and the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act, 2000, which require that the names of potential employees are checked against the Department of Health’s Protection of Children List and the Department for Education and Employment’s List 99, now superseded by the Disclosure and Barring Service, and that they not be appointed if their names appear on either of the lists.

Disclosure is an integral part of the recruitment process and for every position (unless otherwise stated), an applicant will be required to make an application to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

Existing staff taking up different positions within the College may also be required to make an application for Disclosure. The cost of Disclosure applications will be borne by the College.

Applicants should provide details of convictions, cautions, etc., at the application stage, in a sealed envelope marked “Confidential” and addressed to the Head of Human Resources who is a DBS Countersignatory for the College. Any information received is treated in the strictest confidence and only seen by those who need to see it as part of the recruitment process.  Failure to provide details of convictions, cautions, etc., may result in the offer of employment being withdrawn or, in the event of employment, in dismissal.

As an organisation using the DBS Disclosure service to help in assessing applicants’ suitability for positions of trust, Brooklands College complies fully with the DBS Code of Practice.  Further information about the DBS and the Code of Practice is available from www.gov.uk/government/publications/dbs-code-of-practice

All those involved in the recruitment process are trained in fair recruitment practices and in the relevant legislation, including the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act, 1974. They are, therefore, able to identify and assess the relevance and circumstances of offences during the interview or at a separate discussion. The College undertakes not to discriminate unfairly against any subject of a Disclosure on the basis of conviction or other information received, whilst having due regard to its duty of care for students, staff and other customers. Any matter revealed in a Disclosure will be discussed with the applicant before withdrawing a conditional offer of employment.

Having a criminal record will not necessarily preclude an offer of employment since each case is determined according to the nature of the position and the circumstances and background of the offence(s).

Equal Opportunities

Education and training is a right for all and Brooklands College regards all of its existing and potential students, staff and customers as being of equal value. The College staff and governors aim to provide a secure and safe atmosphere and to remove barriers to achievement, to ensure equal access and equal opportunities for all, irrespective of disability, gender, ethnicity, religion, language, social class, learning ability/disability or difficulty, sexual orientation or age. In this respect, no one should receive less favourable treatment in relation to the curriculum, services, employment or any other aspect of College life.

Brooklands College aims to present a positive image which is welcoming to all and to keep both the College and the community informed of its policy and ethos.

In order to monitor that this policy is working and that we are not discriminating against any group, we ask you for details of your gender, ethnic origin and age, and whether you have a disability as part of your application. This is processed separately and securely and not included with the application information which is used for shortlisting and interview. If you have a disability, please do not hesitate to tell us if there are any facilities or equipment you need to help you at the interview or enable you carry out the job, if appointed. This will help us to assess you equally with other applicants.

Skills for Life

As part of application form, we ask whether you have GCE O Level, CSE grade 1 or GCSE grade A – C English Language and Maths. This is to support the government initiative to improve literacy and numeracy skills in the general population. It will not affect your application if you do not possess these qualifications but we may be able to offer you training to improve your skills in these areas, if you are successful in your application and you wish to take advantage of such an opportunity. You will be asked to supply evidence of your qualifications if you are offered a position and may also be required to undertake a literacy and numeracy assessment as a part of the interview process to assess your current levels.

Data Protection

Appointment is subject to your express agreement to the College collecting, storing and processing personal data, including sensitive personal data such as health records, for the proper administration of the employment relationship. All data will be kept in accordance with the provisions of the Data Protection Act, 1998 and the associated Codes of practice, and employees will be given the opportunity to verify its accuracy on a regular basis.

Probation Period

Every new employee of the College is subject to a six month probation period during which induction and any necessary training/coaching will be provided. There will be regular reviews at six weeks, three and six months. Subject to a satisfactory report at the six month review, the new employee will be confirmed in post.

Right to work in the UK

To comply with the provisions of the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act, 2006 and the Immigration (Restrictions on Employment) Order, 2004, if offered employment, you will be asked to provide proof of your eligibility to work in the UK prior to you starting work or on your first day of employment. Such proof includes your passport or original EU birth certificate. In addition, we require sight of original documentation showing your National Insurance number, e.g. P45, correspondence from the Inland Revenue or pay slip as well as approved photo ID (e.g. driving licence) if you have not produced your passport as evidence. You will not be able to start work until we have confirmed your right to work.

Qualifications

If you are offered employment in a lecturing position or in some management or service positions, you will be asked to show us original certificates so that your qualifications can be verified.

For teaching staff, the College’s Teacher Qualification Policy, lays down that all permanent staff, whether full time or on fractional contracts, should possess a Certificate in Education/PGCE or equivalent on appointment or achieve this qualification within a specified time.

Criminal Record Check

As the College provides education and training to many students under the age of 18 and to vulnerable young adults, all positions are exempt from the provisions of the Rehabilitation Offenders Act, 1974. If offered employment, you will be required to apply to the Disclosure and Barring Service [DBS] for a Disclosure Certificate. The College will undertake the check on your behalf but you are required to pay the application fee of £50.00.

Medical Procedure

Appointment is also subject to a satisfactory medical report. Following an offer of employment, you will be asked to complete a pre-employment health questionnaire which will be reviewed by the College’s Occupational Health Adviser. The information you give is confidential.

The College views the health check as beneficial to both the organisation and the potential employee, and having a health problem will not necessarily preclude you from being considered for appointment, but we may ask you to have a medical examination by our Occupational Health Adviser to make sure that you are fit to undertake the duties of the job; ensure that the work and working environment is appropriate for you and any adjustments required discussed fully.

References

Appointment is subject to two references that are satisfactory to the College. One reference must be from your present or most recent employer; references from relatives or friends are not acceptable. If a reference is received which is unsatisfactory to the College, the offer of employment may be withdrawn or, if you have been permitted to start work, the appointment may be terminated.

Is there any flexibility on interview dates/times?

In the majority of cases we are unable to re-schedule an interview date, due to time restraints and resources it can be very difficult to get the interview panel together for more than one date. However, if the panel do not recruit from the current round of interviews, we will contact you regarding an alternative date to interview, if you are still interested.