A new tool allowing employers to directly post apprenticeship vacancies within their company is being launched by the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA), FE week reports.
Kicking off this month, employers that pay the levy and have a service account will see a ‘recruitment’ link displayed on their account’s homepage. Clicking the link will grant them immediate access to the ‘Recruit an apprentice’ service.
The tool will mean that companies can create and share vacancies and manage applications they receive from candidates. ESFA says it aims for vacancies to either be shared or returned for amendments within 24 hours of submission.
It was initially planned for the tool to be launched back in February 2016, as part of ESFA’s Apprenticeships 2020 Vision guidance. It explained how the body already offered the ‘Find an Apprenticeship’ online recruitment tool for employers to advertise and fill vacancies, but that it would be expanding the service to essentially allow companies to manage their own vacancy postings.
Yet, to be able to utilise the tool, companies must already have a relationship with a training provider. A blog on the ESFA website said this was due to ‘user research’ with possible candidates showing that ‘individuals want to see which training provider will be delivering the apprenticeship’.
The introduction of the new tool comes on the back of the ESFA’s new employer review function. The platform enables companies to rate training providers and leave feedback detailing their strengths and weaknesses.
Companies that do not pay the levy or do not have an account are still able to post any vacancies on ‘Recruit an apprentice’, either with backing of their training provider or by contacting the National Apprenticeship Service on 08000 150 600.
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