We’re delighted to be celebrating this year’s National Apprenticeship Week, which starts today. Throughout the week, businesses across the UK will be recognising and applauding great apprenticeship success stories across a range of industries.
Apprenticeships are an opportunity for people of all ages and backgrounds to enter into a rewarding and well-paid career. There is growing recognition of the value apprenticeships can bring to UK employers, those setting out on the first steps of a new career, or those who want a career change.
For people starting their career, it is crucial that we work with schools, parents and industry partners to debunk the myths surrounding apprenticeships. Among these are perceptions that apprenticeships are an inferior route to higher education, or that they ‘pigeon-hole’ people into certain roles. Apprenticeships can also often be seen as an option for teenagers only, and that is something we’re keen to disprove.
We’re committed to keeping the energy flowing safely and reliably to our customers, and to do so we recognise how important it is to attract the skilled engineers and commercial professionals of tomorrow. Attracting a diverse range of talent onto our apprenticeship schemes is a key component of ensuring we develop into the organisation we need to be. Last year, our commitment to doing so saw us listed as a ‘Youth Friendly Employer’ by Youth Employment UK.
We also recognise the need to influence young people earlier about the benefits of an apprenticeship. That’s why last year, we launched our Education & Skills programme, under which we facilitate employees from across the business visiting schools within our networks to deliver engaging content about Cadent, the energy industry as a whole and the apprenticeship opportunities we offer. We recently formed partnerships with two all-girls schools, to cement our commitment to helping change the traditionally male-orientated nature of our industry.
For those wanting a career change, apprenticeships are a great way to enhance skills that you already have, or to get into a different industry. They are also a great way for businesses to support their own employees to develop further. This year, we launched two new apprenticeships.
- Our Associate Project Manager programme saw 6 new individuals join the organisation to support a skills gap in a number of teams, and build on the commercial skills we are looking for.
- We are supporting some employees who already work for us to complete our new Team Leader apprenticeship, which will enhance their management skills.
Our apprenticeship schemes provide learners with the technical and commercial skills they need to excel in their role, while equipping them with the tools to be great leaders in the future. We don’t just see apprenticeships as a way to fill immediate vacancies – they are a crucial part of our strategy to develop and retain exceptional talent. Throughout National Apprenticeship Week, we’ll be sharing case studies of some of our talented apprentices from our various programmes on social media.
We’re opening our apprenticeship schemes for applications in the coming weeks. Please click the link below to access our apprenticeships page, where you can find out more about our schemes and apply when they open.
Martin Rimmer
Chief People Officer