YMCA Training's vision for employer engagement

Our vision for employer engagement has been developed with the support of a YMCA Training project group and guidance from World Class Skills.

Through our work with employers we wish to be seen as:

• Flexible, reflective and  responsive 
• Trustworthy and honest 
• Successful, with clear direction
• Distinctive and innovative 
• Adding value to other services 
• Holistic and caring

We believe employers will choose to work with us because:

• They value the opportunity to learn alongside us
• They share or wish to embrace our commitment to corporate social responsibility and social integration
• They value our professionalism and high standards
• They wish to support their workforce who have difficulty achieving or require additional support

Our commitment to employer engagement will be reflected in our corporate strategy, developed through our quality improvement groups and measured against our annual plan targets.

Through our engagement with employers, we will contribute to their growth and success, encouraging them to:

• Cultivate a culture of personal growth, development and continuous improvement
• Subscribe to a culture of innovation, change and transformation
• Realise the benefits of improved business relations through respecting and understanding the beliefs, faith and practices of others
• Place greater importance on equality of opportunity and recognise individual achievement particularly where this has required considerable personal effort
• Be confident about the possibilities open to their employees and the wider community 
• Develop a culture of learning and development through co-operation, support and learning from others

As a work-based learning provider, employer engagement is central to YMCA Training's work. Effective employer engagement offers the following benefits:

• For our learners and participants: jobs, training, work experience, qualifications and personal development
• For employers: increased employee skills, delivery of corporate responsibility agenda, reduced employee turnover
• For our organisation: delivery of our mission, meeting inspection standards and ensuring contract compliance

Effective employer engagement will be translated in:

• Better performance by our learners and participants
• Increased delivery against contract targets
• Higher profile in media including trade press

It will be monitored by:

• Increased numbers of actively engaged employers
• Numbers of new employers
• Decrease in numbers of employers  not continuing working with us
• Increased success rates by participants in jobs and qualifications

Targets for employer engagement are included in our annual work plan.

Progress in implementing our employer engagement strategy will be reported to our board.

We know what your business needs

YMCA Training has been working with employers across the country for nearly 30 years, meaning we know exactly how to get your business a competitive edge.

We offer the following opportunities that can help your business:

Apprentices for your workforce

YMCA Training can provide you with an Apprentice who has the potential and motivation to enhance your business. We will provide the training to develop the individual into a productive and loyal member of your team. Find out more

Support for your recruitment activity

We can find you an Apprentice from the thousands of learners we have access to. You'll save on the time and cost it takes to advertise and recruit for a vacancy and you'll get someone that's right for your business. Find out more

Training for your staff

The UK is facing one of the highest skills shortages in Europe.* YMCA Training works with employers to fill the skills gap in their workforce, making businesses more productive and more profitable. Click on the Train your staff and Bespoke and specialist training links to find out more.

Short-term staffing for your business

If you need a short-term staffing solution then look no further! We work with people who are looking to update their work experience in a particular field and can place them with you to support your business. Find out more

Find out more about what we can do for you!

Whether you know how you'd like to work with us, or you just want to find out more about what we can offer, you can contact your local centre to discuss things further. More information is also available on this site.

*Source: The Training Foundation