Futureproofing: The Endless Value of Apprenticeships

This week (7th - 13th February) we’re celebrating the amazing work and contribution of our apprentices throughout the business for National Apprenticeship Week 2022.

 The 15th annual week-long celebration of apprenticeships is this year focusing on ‘Build the Future’, taking a look at how apprenticeships can help people to develop the skills and knowledge they need for a rewarding career, as well as how they can support businesses to create a talented workforce that is equipped with the skills needed for a successful future.

 Apprenticeships can open up new and exciting career paths for individuals of all ages and offer a fantastic opportunity to get people back into employment, help them to future proof their careers and create a fair and equal society for all.  

 Making sure that people have access to as many opportunities to improve their skills and talent is something that we’re hugely committed to - it’s one of the crucial elements to creating thriving cities, which is our overarching purpose at Bruntwood. Apprenticeships are a great way of opening up and providing opportunities for all - regardless of background, gender or race. This creates a more inclusive and fair society and in turn helps our cities to thrive, and this is massively important to us at Bruntwood. 

Over the years, we’ve been pleased to support a whole host of apprentices as they start to shape their careers and their worlds. Previously, we’ve always supported apprentices in vocational roles that you might expect to see this type of training, including plumbing, electrical and HVAC. In more recent years, as the scope of the types of apprenticeships has expanded, we have widened the breadth of apprenticeships we offer too, to take advantage of some of the innovative and exciting new courses on offer.

“Apprenticeships will always be a key part of our skills and talent agenda,” explains Jade Gates, Learning & Development Advisor at Bruntwood. “As an inclusive employer,  if we want to bring in a diverse range of talent from different backgrounds, reflective of our communities, it’s important to think about apprenticeships within this.”

An apprenticeship offers the opportunity to learn from industry experts, both through training providers and from colleagues in the business. An apprentice can learn the theory and then practically apply this in the workplace while getting guidance from colleagues in the business. “Apprentices have a great network of support both from the training provider and the business and it’s this which really makes for a great learning experience.”

Since the Apprenticeship Levy was introduced in 2017, there have been a wide range of new apprenticeships that have been made available. And, even better, you no longer need to fall within a certain age range in order to become an apprentice. With the onset of the fourth industrial revolution, we believe that apprenticeships will be hugely beneficial for individuals looking to future proof their career and upskill into industries and roles that will be needed as we go into recovery.