Join FIRST to explore how T-Level Industry Placements and Apprenticeships are a route to your FIRST member of staff.

Mobilising Others is a key enterprise skill that all founders must master to grow their business. When you’ve just started your business, however, hiring your first team member is often the hardest hire you will make. It is often a ‘chicken and egg’ situation: you need them to do more work, but you can’t afford them until you get the new work. There’s also culture fit, behaviours, attitudes, and hiring someone who is truly ‘work ready’.

FIRST understand this, and that’s why at FIRST, they believe that Apprentices and T-Level Industry Placement Students are the solution to support your entrepreneurial journey.

The Value: A Win-Win-Win Situation:

• Fresh Talent - Inject innovation with apprentices bringing new perspectives.
• Cost-Effective Development - Tailor talent while saving on recruitment costs.
• Increased Productivity - Boost performance with rapidly skilled apprentices.
• Future-Proofing - Secure adaptable talent, shielding from skill shortages.
• Loyalty and Retention - Cultivate loyalty and retain top talent long-term.
• Diversity Boost - Bridge gaps with apprentices from diverse backgrounds.
• Government Support - Access financial incentives for businesses of all sizes.

Are you Employee Ready?

To help you navigate this crucial decision, FIRST has teamed up with the North East Combined Authority’s Skills for Business team to offer early-stage founders a learning experience to explore and prepare you for your first staff member. This will help you discover:

• What T-Levels and Apprenticeships actually are
• Perspectives from young people, employers, training providers and Apprenticeship Training Providers
• What fully funded support is available before, during, and after your first hire
• Opportunities to connect with others who are also looking to hire their first employee and build valuable peer-to-peer connections

Who is the experience for?

The content has been designed specifically to meet the needs of early-stage founders who are at a crossroads. If you have been running your business for a couple of years, you might be pondering the following:

• What happens if I take on more work? How will I manage the increased workload?
• If I do take on a member of staff, how will I afford it? Understanding the financial implications.
• What will they do? Identifying the key areas where you need help.
• What does the business need to have to take on a member of staff? Ensuring your business is ready for a new team member.

Event Formats

Two convenient event formats are on offer to fit your schedule:

Face-to-Face 

• Date: 11 July
• Time: 9:30 am – 3:00 pm
• Location: Northern Design Centre, NE8 3DF
• Lunch: Included

If you can't make this event, you can attend online instead.

Online Version

• Date: 9 July
• Time: 4:00 pm
• Platform: Microsoft Teams
• Register here for tickets

This experience is designed for founders who are ready to make informed decisions about expanding their team and advancing their entrepreneurial journey. By joining, you will gain the insights and support needed to move forward with confidence and courage, ensuring your first hire is the right one for your growing business.