Working for Scotland: Scottish Apprenticeship Week

It’s time for our apprentices north of the border to take centre stage, as Jonathan Foot, Director of Skills & Early Careers explains.

This week (2 – 6 March) marks Scottish Apprenticeship Week, shining a spotlight on the power of apprenticeships in Scotland to create careers, build businesses, grow the workforce and get real returns for the economy.

Across the whole of the UK, apprenticeships are an important part of Our Social Promise, with a focus on developing talent and providing opportunities for all. Every day I’m fortunate to witness the amazing impact apprenticeships have on people’s lives. We have so many success stories, with inspiring people progressing time and again, building careers and passing on their learnings to others, which also helps us to diversify and grow.

We’ve seen some brilliant results in Scotland over the last year, with our Elevate programme receiving positive feedback, and two of our senior chefs already completing their apprenticeships. Meanwhile, ESS has seen strong results from their ‘Next Wave’ programme, designed specifically to develop the next generation of chef managers for the offshore business, with cohort one graduating later this month.

We’re thrilled to work with our wonderful partners and clients in Scotland to really bring these apprenticeships to life, including our training partner, the City of Glasgow College and two Michelin starred chef, Stephen McLaughlin.

With the theme of this week, ‘Working for Scotland’, we’re incredibly proud to have so many fantastic apprentices across all ages, roles and sectors in Scotland. Here are a couple of success stories:

Matthew Benfold, Commis Chef, EICC Nourish at Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC).

While studying for a degree in Sociology and Social Policy, Matthew discovered a love of cooking. He wasn’t enjoying his degree and decided to pursue a career he was passionate about. After looking for entry level chef roles, he discovered Compass was looking for an apprentice chef at the EICC and jumped at the chance to learn on the job.

He now supports with all aspects of kitchen and food preparation in a busy venue, working on an array of events, from dinners for 10 up to conferences for thousands. He plays an integral part of the kitchen team, which feeds 90,000 people per year and regularly caters for dinners of over 1,000.

Matthew has learned a wide range of core kitchen skills, from knife skills and butchering, to learning how to work quickly, with the most efficient processes to maximise produce. He believes the beauty of working in a kitchen is that you get to develop skills every day and singles out his three-month secondment at two Michelin starred, Restaurant Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles as a huge turning point for him.

His experience showcases that Modern Apprenticeships are an excellent way to find direction; providing a role where you get paid while getting a great standard of learning.

Matthew says: “My apprenticeship has presented many opportunities for me to develop my existing skills as well as learning new ones. I’ve been able to work out what I want to do in my future and what I want to achieve. It’s also restored my faith in studying and training after being disappointed by my degree. Now I’m on this career pathway, I’ve been inspired to continue and would like to do another course – something Compass has been very supportive of.”

Kim Petrie, Chief Steward, ESS Energy

Kim has completed not one, but three consecutive apprenticeship courses. She started working offshore straight from school and believes returning to learning has transformed her personally and professionally.

Her first apprenticeship, Food & Drink Operations SVQL6, gave her an interest in learning again. As she moved into a management role, she wanted to develop her skills, so she completed Management SVQL7. Most recently, she embarked on the Management SVQL9 apprenticeship to continue her progression and as a stepping stone to reach her ultimate objective - achieving a Business Management Apprenticeship Honours Degree.

Kim’s most recent apprenticeship has resulted in two promotions, where she is based offshore. Initially promoted from Lead Steward to Chief Steward, she was then offered a promotion to Radio Operator and funding for a college course on the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) and radio courses at the Scottish Maritime Academy.

She now works a dual role as Chief Steward and Radio Operator. She manages the facilities and catering crew on a platform in the North Sea for one week, then changes onto radio operator, organising helicopter landings, entering boats and logistics.

Kim says: “My apprenticeship experience has been truly transformative. It has significantly boosted my confidence and given me a taste for learning and developing. I feel passionate about continuously improving and sharing my learnings with others. In terms of career progression, I have expanded my existing role and gained a new one! The promotion to Radio Operator is in a totally new area, allowing me to gain brand new skills, expand my scope and open up new career paths in logistics to explore.