Passionate Blog: You’re hired! School leavers pioneer social media management apprenticeship

Picture shows Andy, Anthony, Joe, Mel, Lauren, Ian from SSC Learning, and trainer Carol (standing) from Passionate Media, Terri-Anne, Bethan, Abi and Sammy-Jo.

Ten young people from around the West Midlands are blazing a trail as social media marketing apprentices.

And this Tuesday (September 20) there's a chance for businesses interested in finding out more about how an apprentice could boost their company, to come and meet them.

The school leavers are the first to sign up for a brand new management course where blogging for business, Facebook and Twitter are key elements.

Two Cannock companies have joined forces to offer the apprenticeship scheme to create jobs for young people in harnessing the potential of social media after undertaking an advanced management apprenticeship.

Training specialists SSC Learning, who are based at Keys Business Village in Hednesford, have taken on the teenagers, aged between 16 and 19, who will be employed by local businesses to handle their digital marketing, with social media training by Bridgtown-based Passionate Media.

Each apprentice place, which costs from around £2,500 to £4,500 is being funded by the Government’s Skills Funding Agency.

SSC Learning co-director Ian Shephard said: “The selection process has been vigorous, with the aim of finding young people who are already competent writers and familiar with social media, who can hone those skills through their 12 month apprenticeship.

“They will be employed to promote their companies using sites such as Facebook and Twitter, and through blogging, and will receive training each month from PR, marketing and journalism professionals from Passionate Media.”

Directors Linda Jones and Carol Garrington already run popular social media workshops through Chase Chamber of Commerce. They have developed and will deliver training modules to the apprentices, beginning with an intensive three weeks induction, which began this week and continues for a day each month for the next 11 months.

Ian’s co-director Andy Jacques added the social media apprenticeship is a new venture for them, as the company has traditionally worked in the social care sector. But he says demand for these apprenticeships is high, both in terms of young people wanting to join, and businesses interested in taking them on.

“As far as I am aware, nobody else is offering apprenticeships in this field, and this is a hugely exciting prospect – a unique chance to create opportunities in the social media marketing arena.

“We’ve been aware for some time that there’s an awful lot of young people who are extremely bright and creative, yet don’t want to go to university and who are struggling to find routes into industries such as PR or journalism,” said Andy.

“These apprenticeships will give them at least 30 hours paid employment a week, many hours of training with PR and journalism professionals and a chance to make a career in an exciting and evolving industry.

“Employers will have the chance to build their on-line profile in new and innovative ways, as well as access to the professionals coaching the apprentices.”

Carol Garrington, of Passionate Media, said the apprentices would be huge assets to the companies taking them on.

“Most businesses are aware these days that they should be actively using social media to promote their companies, but so many lack the proper resources or know-how to do it effectively,” she said.

“Our learners are already using most of these social networking sites, some will already be keen bloggers and commentators – this is fantastic potential for companies to tap into and use to promote their companies effectively.

"They are already hugely engaged with social media and have wowed us with their vision for how it can be used in a business environment.

“As well as devising the training modules, we’re also working with SSC to introduce the apprentices to employers and promoting the scheme to our business contacts. ”

SSC is inviting businesses interested in finding out more about the scheme to an event at the Roman Way Hotel in Cannock between 12-2pm on Tuesday, September 20.

There will be a chance to meet the first ten learners, find out more about the apprenticeships and what will be required from the companies involved. A complimentary lunch and refreshments will be included too.

To book a place at the event, contact Kim Nash at Passionate Media on 01543 468621 or email kim@passionatemedia.co.uk. Tweet her on @kimthebookworm.