National Apprenticeship Week starts today - and we’ve heard from some of the North West's biggest names about what they’re doing to promote apprenticeships.
The Government-backed event is this year themed around “Skills for Life”. The Department for Education says: "We are calling on individuals, employers, training providers and communities to get involved by encouraging everyone to consider how apprenticeships can help to provide #SkillsForLife."
BAE Systems is welcoming its largest ever intake of apprentice and graduate trainees this year - and says it has over the past five years doubled the number of apprenticeships it offers.
This year the defence group expects to welcome more than 2,700 trainees to apprentice and graduate programmes in 2024.
It comes as BAE has 1,552 open roles available across the North West, 916 of which are apprenticeship roles. The opportunities are at sites including Manchester, Preston, Warton, Samlesbury and Barrow, in fields from aircraft technology to submarines and digital intelligence.
The group said over a quarter of its last apprenticeship intake came from low income backgrounds, while 30% of new apprentices this year were female, compared with around 10% of the engineering apprentice intake in England.
Richard Hamer, director for education and skills, BAE Systems, said: “National Apprenticeship Week is vital for companies such as ours with more than one thousand vacancies to raise awareness for the exciting opportunities on offer up and down the country. Whether you’re just starting out in your career journey or are thinking about a career switch, apprenticeships are a fantastic way to learn new skills and contribute in a meaningful way.
“It’s also a brilliant opportunity to recognise those apprentices up and down the country that are already on their career journey with us, developing their skillsets and helping to develop the technology that helps defend our national security, they are the backbone of our future workforce and as a company we’re proud of the work they do.”
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Izzie Banks, craft apprentice at BAE Systems Air, said: “I knew I wanted to do an apprenticeship after watching my sister make a successful career out of her own apprentice journey. Doing a craft apprenticeship with BAE Systems was the right choice for me as I wanted to do more hands on work that was practical and tangible. Now I can earn while I learn and work in a supportive environment while also looking towards future opportunities such as working with robotics.”
Alina Eden, information management systems and technology degree apprentice, BAE Systems Maritime and Land, said: "I was previously studying fashion marketing at university but left to improve my career prospects. I love the opportunity to take on new challenges and we’re always encouraged to take them. One of the best parts about the job is the people, all of our employees come from different walks of life and can help teach you valuable new lessons. I didn’t have any ‘typical’ qualifications but I had the enthusiasm and courage to make the jump and haven’t looked back!”
Manchester apprentice on Amazon's big plans
Amazon is using National Apprenticeship Week to announce the expansion of its apprenticeship programme, with 1,000 new positions across the 海角视频 this year.
It has more than 30 apprenticeship schemes in areas from sustainability to product buying.
Roles will be open to external candidates - but more than half will be offered to existing employees who want to retrain.
Once qualified, apprentices will have the opportunity to work across Amazon’s 海角视频 sites including fulfilment centres and delivery stations as well as corporate offices in Manchester and London.
Among those on the scheme is Stockport’s Ernestas Truskauskas, who works at Amazon in Manchester as an area manager and is completing its degree apprenticeship in chartered management.
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He joined the group six years ago in a temporary role and progressed to a permanent one. He applied for the apprenticeship as part of his drive to become an area manager, and is now set to finish his degree with Manchester Metropolitan University in the summer.
He said: “As an apprentice, I am supported to pursue things I would like to learn more about and explore different areas within Amazon that I might not have considered before. I’ve had amazing support from Amazon and from my university since day one.”
John Boumphrey, 海角视频 country manager at Amazon, said: “Every year we look forward to recruiting ambitious apprentices to join our teams working to deliver for customers all over the 海角视频. Whether they’re retraining to begin a new and exciting career, or gaining new skills to take their career in a new direction, we’re proud to provide opportunities for people to find their dream roles.”
Minister for Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education Robert Halfon said: “Amazon is a world-leading employer – they understand the apprenticeship levy and use it well, and I hope more businesses follow their lead and experience the benefits of apprentices for themselves.”
Co-op Legal Services launches own apprenticeship programme
Meanwhile Co-op Legal Services is to launch to launch five solicitor apprenticeships for students wishing to take an alternative route into legal life.
The fully salaried roles will be based at the group's offices in Bristol, Sheffield, Manchester, and Stratford-upon-Avon.
Co-op Legal Services is the 海角视频’s largest regulated provider of wills, estate planning and probate services.
Its managing director Caoilionn Hurley said: “Here at Co-op Legal Services, we are committed to ensuring that as many individuals get the chance to start an extremely fulfilling legal career, regardless of their background. Our legal apprenticeships enable us to provide this opportunity by establishing new and alternative routes into the profession, which are less of a financial burden than traditional university education.
“We are extremely proud to be able to offer an additional five new openings this year across our legal teams, as we continue to see an increase in uptake for such roles across the country and are incredibly excited to welcome our 2024 cohort.
“We are working hard to help break down the misconceptions which surround this alternative route, and to showcase that a career in law is not for the privileged few. There is a wealth of positives in the apprenticeship pathway as candidates are able to get hands-on experience from the start of their journey as well as the opportunity to start earning money straight away.”