Apprenticeships Can Change Lives as Well as Industries
National Apprenticeship Week 2020 runs from February 3rd-9th. Perhaps it’s a good opportunity for the industry to take a hard look at where we are with apprenticeships and what still needs to be done.
As an organisation, Osborne is redoubling our commitment to apprenticeships. There may still be some complaints and issues to resolve about the levy and whether the content and range of courses is keeping pace with the needs of our rapidly evolving industry, but we need apprenticeships. And we need to make them work for our business and for the participants.
Across the industry we know that around a fifth of the skilled workforce will be retiring in the near future. We can’t simply wait and hope that somebody is going to fill those skills gaps for us.
Early Engagement
But more than just filling a gap, apprentices bring enthusiasm, energy and fresh ideas. They also help encourage a more diverse range of people into construction from a young age. Apprenticeships are an essential element in the structures we are putting in place to improve our diversity and bring new talent on board.
Success also means engaging with schools and communities to offer real experiences while young people are still making up their minds about their future. And this leads to the other reason why we are so committed to apprenticeships. There is a human story behind every person who sees an opportunity to do something they enjoy and then has a pathway to make that happen.
Rebecca’s Story
Rebecca Mullen is a great example of what we mean. Rebecca opted to follow a work-related programme at her school. The programme included a work placement with the repairs and maintenance team working for Dacorum Borough Council. She impressed us so much with her attitude and commitment that we were delighted to offer her a plumbing apprenticeship, enabling her to pursue her ambition to become a qualified plumber.
Rebecca has been a great addition to the team, as have the vast majority of apprentices we have taken on at various levels in our business.
It’s because of stories like this that we continue to commit resources to careers fairs and pre-apprenticeship placements and to making our programmes as inspiring and enriching as possible.
Now is very much the time to look at the positives and to celebrate the impact that apprenticeships and apprentices have on our business, and to take some satisfaction in the opportunities we are able to offer in return.
