SimpleClick has launched its first apprenticeship scheme in partnership with Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), signalling the Ipswich-based technical agency’s ambition to grow and nurture local talent. Through offering apprenticeships SimpleClick aims to develop emerging talent, while maximising the potential of the Government’s Apprenticeship Levy.
SimpleClick’s philosophy is to invest in home-grown talent, and its new apprenticeship scheme will provide two potential employees with the platform they need to build their careers locally.
Two apprentices, George Lee and Harry Palmer, have joined the SimpleClick team and will be working to obtain their degrees in tandem with valuable work experience. Both apprentices will be spending one week per term at ARU, whilst dedicating 20% of the time they spend at SimpleClick to their university studies. Once completed, Harry and George will be awarded a Digital and Technology Solutions Degree Apprenticeship BSc (Hons) with the prospect of gaining full time employment at SimpleClick as Junior Developers.
SimpleClick’s Managing Director, Richard Jennis said: “There is some very exciting digital talent emerging from East Anglia, and we believe that this apprenticeship scheme is a great way of nurturing it. At SimpleClick we offer the opportunity for every member of the team to grow professionally, as well as personally, and we aim to promote every junior developer to developer within two years. We are looking forward to seeing how Harry and George develop their roles.”
Degree apprenticeships are a new initiative that combine the best of academic and vocational learning. Companies with an annual salary bill of less than £3m pay only 5% of the total course fees. The remaining 95% is funded by the Government. Companies with an annual salary bill of more than £3m contribute 0.5% over the £3m into an Apprentice Levy. They are then able to use funds in a Digital Account to fund apprenticeships for existing staff or new apprentices. More information on the degree apprenticeships can be found here: https://aru.ac.uk/study/degree-apprenticeships.
Marc Rothera, Business Development Consultant, Degrees at Work team at ARU said: “Degree Apprenticeships are an innovative and effective way to grow your business, by bringing in new talent or growing the skills of your existing workforce. We were delighted to work alongside SimpleClick, helping them to get their first apprentices recruited and underway on the Digital & Technology Solutions programme and we’re very much looking forward to extending our partnership as SimpleClick (and the East Anglian tech phenomenon) continue to grow.”
