Inspiring Futures: Apprenticeships, Public Libraries and New Opportunities
Thursday 31st March 2022
Stockton Libraries have introduced two new Library Information and Archive Services Assistant Apprentices and this event looked at why and how this was introduced and what it’s actually like to be an apprentice.
Mark Freeman MBE (Information Services Manager at Stockton Borough Council) talked about how introducing apprenticeships helps to address one of the issues that I imagine many library services across sectors are experiencing - an aging workforce and difficulty attracting and supporting younger workers. While working in Northamptonshire Mark had experience of traineeships but they didn’t lead to a qualification. The apprenticeships enable the apprentice to experience the breadth of the public library role whilst working on the job and leading to a qualification.
Mark shared that there were some challenges in setting up the apprenticeships. Initially they were unsure about how to get the scheme into place with all the requirements for tutors, assessors and end point assessment. They had attended workshops, and after a conversation with a colleague in Kirklees who’d been successful in introducing apprenticeships and who was happy to share their experience Stockton were able to launch their own apprenticeship.
Mark suggested that apprenticeships work both ways - they encouraging staff and managers to think about what they’re doing as a service and how they might improve but also gives new entrants to the sector “a taste of what they might take on” if they decide to continue in the profession and further develop their skills.
Marie Brett is an assessor with Stockton Borough Council’s Learning and Skills Service and was very involved in developing the programme for the apprenticeship. Marie really fleshed out how the apprenticeships work giving an explanation of what they include and how they are assessed. Stockton Learning and Skills Service has provided further education for over 50 years through a range of opportunities. Marie explained that as part of the Library Information and Archive Services Assistant Apprenticeship there are 33 teaching sessions once a fortnight and it includes face to face, online Teams sessions and visits. There are 12 written assignments linked to the End Point Assessment. Marie identified a number of benefits for Library services - again that it enables new people to enter the service to support the workforce and help succession planning. It also enables CPD opportunities for existing employees and leads to service improvement. I really didn’t know anything about apprenticeships so I enjoyed hearing how they are structured and I think it’s great to have different routes into library work.
I was really interested to hear from two apprentices, Elisha Oakley and Eve Howsden. Elisha and Eve enthusiastically talked about the range of activities they undertake and how the apprenticeship is an opportunity to not only learn about the many different aspects of library work but also practice it. Both were very positive about the structure of the programme and the support they receive.
I didn’t really know much about apprenticeships before this session but they sound like a really great route into the profession giving a good grounding in theory alongside opportunities to actually undertake tasks ranging from support reading programmes with children to customer service and technical services. As someone who has been an academic liaison librarian focused on liaison and teaching for 18 years after doing a Masters, I wish I'd had the practical experience of the range of different roles within libraries.
Leanne Young
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