We all need a little help sometimes.
Whether it’s to assist us in our day-to-day workload or simply to help us head in the right direction.
Well, the same can be said for businesses and careers, and it’s a belief that a number of Scottish industries tycoons are putting to the forefront this week.
As the Scottish economy is on the road to recovery in a post pandemic society, businesses are exploring each and every method or business ‘cure-all’ that could help the status quo of normality to return.
As this week is Scottish Apprenticeship Week (7th March until 11th March), a vast number of industry leaders are citing that one of the keys to this economic return and recovery is bringing on apprentices.
With the looming threat of post-Covid 19 skill shortages, talent gaps and reduced labour, businesses are finding that hiring apprentices is the driving boost both they, and the national economy, needs.
To help support this apprenticeship push, an exciting level of support for apprenticeship schemes from the Scottish Chamber of Commerce and recent investment of £68.3m of additional funding for employability and training means that the mutual benefits of this level of recruitment is looking to be more promising in 2022 than ever before.
Currently more than 12,000 Scottish employers support over 43,000 apprenticeship roles which provide thousands with access to the world of working, usually at a base level, which is necessary for the world of working particularly in a number of key industries such as manufacturing and technological development.
Giants such as drinks industry maestro Diageo and international aero engine manufacturer Rolls Royce all look at working with institutions across the country, such as Glasgow Clyde College, to provide apprenticeships to students who need these skills.
Offering younger people the chance to develop these skills for the world of work by providing them with on-the-job experience, as well as the skills and know-how, we can ensure Scottish businesses are more prepared for any upcoming hardships.
A recent survey by business advisory firm Grant Thornton UK, discussing the situation with apprentices in Scotland, revealed that mid-market industries have seen additional strategic benefits to apprenticeships with almost half (46 per cent) of the business leaders surveyed saying that apprenticeships had helped to improve social mobility in their business, with almost 50% of companies turning to apprenticeships as an opportunity to fill gaps in data and digital skills in the workplace.
Whenever I hear about apprenticeships though, I always have the image of a first-time worker learning the ropes and getting onto the career ladder, but I was also pretty surprised to hear that the study also revealed that these same organisations are now using apprenticeships at all levels of the business, from entry level all the way to senior management roles.
The insightful research across Scotland revealed that apprenticeships are being used to upskill senior management teams, with nearly two thirds (62%) of respondents stating that they’ve embraced this approach.
It’s fantastic to see that the skills challenges, which are seemingly just around the corner, may already have one sure-fire way to be combatted across the board with a more open minded approach to apprenticeship training.
But it’s not just new potential employees who reap the benefits of these schemes, especially in this ’new normal’ reality.
The additional workers and the development of new skilled employees could be a massive boost for existing employees needing the support.
By looking to bring in newly upskilled workers, while simultaneously providing support for those who are struggling with additional workloads, businesses can also prioritise the mental wellbeing and happiness of their existing workers, therefore maximising productivity.
In the words of Scottish Chambers of Commerce chief executive, Liz Cameron, this week, apprenticeships provide ‘a win-win for businesses and employees alike’.
It’s going to be fascinating to see how this national Scottish Apprenticeship Week can highlight all of the fine examples of the positive impact these roles can have.
Christ! That’s a Bad Deal for Dalí!
The Louvre and the ‘Mona Lisa’, the Museum of Modern Art and ‘The Starry Night’, the Museo Reina Sofia and ‘Guernica’. Major art pieces are fondly associated with their homes.
The same can be said for the Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum and Salvador Dalí’s ‘Christ of Saint John of the Cross’.
Gary Smith, General Secretary of the GMB union, has called for the sale of this original piece by Salvador Dalí, that is currently on display at the gallery & museum in Glasgow and has been since 1952.
The Art Gallery & Museum is a major centre of culture for Glasgow, bringing 1.8m visitors in 2019 alone. Dalí’s piece is the most renowned on display – the museum’s pièce de résistance if you will.
His call is to sell the artwork, worth an estimated £60m, to raise funds to contribute towards Glasgow City Council’s £500m equal pay deal.
The director of the Glasgow Corporation bought the painting for £8,200 in 1952, approximately equivalent to £250,000 in 2022. So, even when we take inflation into consideration, the artwork has increased 240-fold in value.
The piece is now strongly affiliated with the museum and Glasgow itself. Should it go, businesses in the west end of Glasgow could see a significant reduction in footfall, and thus their wallets.
At the same time, the damaged visitor numbers could make it difficult for the council to justify the same level of staffing.
We have all heard the business expression ‘cash cow’. The GMB are proposing that the council sell their long-term cash cow, to uphold a deal that they are struggling to back.
The Scottish taxpayer, the staff at Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum, and businesses local to the area deserve more sense than this.
It Made Me Laugh
Specsavers has come to the rescue of the ‘worst team in Britain’, bringing on the mischievous guidance of ex-football star Jimmy Bullard.
We all love an underdog, but after losing 26-0, Bullard has his work cut out for him.
Cavaliers F.C, based in Manchester, proved that sometimes it’s best to not just put on a brave face on, but to accept an issue and face it head on.
Their twitter post was a callout for new players, being brutally honest about the team’s recent failings, and it got the attention of someone in the Specsavers marketing team.
Unlike the football, this campaign was a win-win. The Cavaliers got themselves some swanky new kits and an ex-premier league footballer to offer some wisdom, and Specsavers show themselves as the twelfth man on the pitch.
Good game.
It Made Me Weep
Five minutes’ walk from the Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum, ‘Bike for Good’ is fighting for its existence.
The cherished Glasgow charity takes bike donations and gives them new life, so others can get affordable access to quality bikes.
The staff and volunteers’ team, consisting of over 70 people, also teach communities how to cycle and maintain their own bikes, helping the people of Glasgow and the planet.
They have recently come under a lot of pressure, as their property and admin costs have skyrocketed 55 per cent and 22 per cent respectively and have responded by launching an appeal.
Their business model relies on the goodwill of locals, who have strongly supported the organisation since their establishment in 2010.
Glaswegians saved the charity during the pandemic, and they are called upon again to make sure the much-loved institution survives the next storm.
