National Apprenticeship Week

We caught up with Jonathan Foot, Head of Apprenticeships and Early Careers to discuss the 13th Annual National Apprenticeship Week.

What does NAW mean to us as a business?
It’s a fantastic opportunity for us as a business to celebrate our apprentices and to recognise their achievements, as well as hearing from them directly about how they are developing their skills, confidence and career progression in their chosen apprenticeship.

Our successful Apprenticeship programme has been created to develop the skills we need in the next generation to meet the skills gaps within our business. We believe in fostering a culture of growing talent within by providing development opportunities for our employees to better equip them for challenges of today in readiness for tomorrow.

What are some of our key achievements?
We have now produced an Apprenticeship and Qualifications Directory for England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. We have hundreds of apprentices on these programmes and we’re working closely with the Culinary Teams across the business to build on this and continue to attract and increase new talent to our business via an apprentice vacancy route.

Why should colleagues consider an apprenticeship?
Apprenticeships offer a genuine alternative to academic study and help individuals develop the skills, knowledge and behaviours they need to demonstrate competence in a specific occupational area. Compass Group UK & Ireland tailor our Apprenticeships to the exact needs of the individual and business and specific department.

What are the benefits (to the business and individuals) of completing an apprenticeship?
Our Apprenticeship Levy puts us at the heart of paying and choosing the highest quality apprenticeship training. It also allows us to give our existing employees skills development through a structured careers development pathway thus retaining talent within our great organisation.

Apprenticeships are proven to improve employee retention and provide excellent progression opportunities to existing employees.

For an apprentice, it provides fantastic experience and hands-on training in the work place, where they can put the skills they’re learning into practise and confidence to develop.