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tags: general
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# Draft timetable for apprenticeship applications

## In summary
- Keep to the application schedule for FAC21, as already published on the website
- Be clear with applicants that once they get a place on the course then we will attempt to secure an apprenticeship, but cannot guarantee it;
- Continue to work on securing up to 16 apprenticeships (including 2 with us) in the run up to FAC21 and after the start;
- Introduce a short break after Week 3.

## Why?

Apprenticeships do not have to be secured at the start of the training, as long as we are prepared to train people at risk (which we have always done) then there is no reason not to allow students to start without having secured an apprenticeship. Obviously, the sooner their apprenticeship status is confirmed, the sooner they can be paid.

This approach is novel for an apprenticeship provider. No other provider is likely to train people for free regardless of whether the have funding in place and few other trainings are likely to have the reputation that it would attract students regardless of whether we can guarantee an apprenticeship. This will give us quite a lot of flexibility in the transition to offering apprenticeships.

In addition, if our apprenticeship "block training" is longer than 12 weeks, we are going to run into difficulties with some employers. Nobody is running a software developer apprenticeship block training that is 4 months long.

For this reason, we could officially start the apprenticeships in Node Week, which would keep the length of the training within the expectations of employers, and then take a short break after Week 3 in order to create an extra interview window for apprenticeships and give those students a few days' breathing space to focus on their interviews.

This year, Good Friday is at the end of Week 4, so the timing also works as an "Easter break", which we may in any case need to introduce for apprentices, who may be bound by their employment contracts rather than our need to have 5 days in a week for the first 7 weeks.

# How?

Assuming we will need all the time available to get apprentice partners on board, it may make sense to have several rounds of apprenticeship interviews, which could proceed as follows:

| Interviews | Dates |
| --- | --- |
| Round 1 | February, after selection |
| Round 2 | After Week 3, from March 29 |
| Round 3 | Reading week, early May |
| Round 4? | Any time in May or June |

In future, we can aim to have all apprenticeship partners secured in advance, so that once we have selected 16 students we can do a single round of interviews. This probably won't be possible this time around.

## Risks
What are the risks of this proposal?

| Risk | Mitigation | Impact | Likelihood |
| -------- | -------- | :--------: | :--------: |
| Some unsuccessful apprentice applicants may drop out | 1. Continue to work to secure apprenticeships for students in later weeks | Moderate | Moderate |
||2. Ensure that they can continue to claim UC while they are studying |||
||3. Bursaries |||
| This will create stress for people who do not yet have apprenticeships | The break after Week 3 | Moderate | High |

## Meetings notes

Facilitating: Gregor
Notes: Dan

### Critical concerns
- Y: 2 or 3 cohorts next year?
- G: Need support from 50 alumni
- O:

Updated proposal:

### Sequencing

Y: Other approach: 12-week programme
D: that would mean losing reading [but adding in bank holidays] and TfB
Y: Keep Tech for Better as an optional addition to the programme for employers
O: Non-apprentices could to TfB projects
G: Could drop student projects instead of TfB projects
J: TfB is better as an option
J: Emplloyers could have input on the TfB tech stack
G: agree that compulsory full-time pre-course may be hard for people
G: should we offer 20 (or maybe even 24) places?

| Activity | Date |
| --- | ---|
| Interviews | Jan/Feb |
| Employer interviews | Feb |
| Apprentice training | Mar-May |
| TfB programme | June |

PASSED.