Championing Engagement in the “New Normal”
Kenneth Barker joined EY in September 2019 and writes about his experiences as an apprentice Representative Engagement Champion while remote working for National Apprenticeship Week 2021.
National Apprenticeship Week 2021
'Build the Future' was the theme for NAW2021, which took place between 8 and 14 February 2021, aiming to encourage everyone to consider how apprenticeships help individuals to build the skills and knowledge required for a rewarding career.
National Apprenticeship Week 2021 was the 14th annual celebration of the positive impact of apprenticeships, and the role they play in ensuring the future workforce is equipped with the skills it needs. The themes of the week always encourage the UK to get fired up about apprenticeships—to be vocal about all the benefits they bring—and we at techUK certainly feel the heat!
The tech sector has always been an enthusiastic advocate and user of apprenticeships, and with Government committing to level up on skills, it is now time to make sure that apprenticeships work for everyone. Although the number of apprenticeships starts may be down, Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies and ICT apprenticeships continue to remain in the top six sector areas of apprenticeship starts in England.
Employer surveys and input provided to IFATE by Tech Partnership Degrees, a company that recently merged with techUK earlier in the year, found that the proportion of starts on the digital degree apprenticeship that are under the age of 25 is massively higher than other apprenticeship starts. The digital degree apprenticeship also has almost twice the proportion of those from ethnic minority backgrounds as all apprentices.
As part of techUK’s National Apprenticeship Week campaign, we showcased the brilliant apprentices within our member organisations and spoke to those who hire them on our website.
This week remains a fantastic way to showcase different routes into the tech sector, and throughout we posted insights, videos and interviews, where apprentices told the inspiring stories of driving their career forward.
Catch up with the conversation using #NAW2021 and #BuildTheFuture on Twitter.
What I’ve learned as an Apprentice
Louis Field, Marketing Apprentice at Cloud Gateway reflects on his time as an apprentice at an award-winning tech start-up helping businesses to keep up with the pace of change in technology.
BCS The Chartered Institute for IT delivered 2,000 apprenticeships during lockdown 1.0
Jenna Griffin, Policy Programme Manager at BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT writes about the increased capabilities to deliver on mass since National Apprenticeship Week 2020.
Commencing into an ‘average’ day on the PwC apprenticeship scheme
Josie Hedges, PwC's Tax Apprentice explores her life as an apprentice.
Cisco - The Road So Far
Kealey Meldrum, Cross Functional Degree Apprentice, looks at the her career journey to and within Cisco.
My PwC Apprenticeship Journey So Far
George Bridgman, Tax Apprentice at PwC discusses his reasons for choosing an apprenticeship and why he would recommend people to consider applying for one.
Making impact: the value of apprenticeships as a route into the working world
Read about why Microsoft business apprentices chose this path to kick-start their careers.
Nothing beats experience
Daniel Bolarinwa, Technology Apprentice at Accenture writes about his learnings since joining the apprenticeship programme virtually in September 2020.
My Apprenticeship Journey: The Unorthodox Route to an Orthodox Career
Guest blog for National Apprenticeship Week by Wipro IT Consultancy Apprentice, Maryum Khanum Mirza exploring her apprenticeship journey.
My apprenticeship with M247 allows me to get hands-on experience
This National Apprenticeship Week, James Reilly, IT Support Apprentice at M247 provides an insight into how he balances work with studying.
BAE Systems is recruiting a record number of apprentices and graduates
More than 850 apprenticeships and 400 graduate roles are available, the highest number it has ever recruited in a single year, despite the ongoing pandemic. Around 75% of apprenticeships are based in the North of England.
BT to hire 400 apprentices in 5G, cyber security drive
The new recruits are expected to start in September 2021 and will support the telecom’s scheme to build and extend the UK’s 5G coverage, as well as gain experience in a number of areas, from engineering and customer service to applied research and cyber security.
Taking the apprenticeship route
Chizara Ogbonna, second-year Software Development apprentice at Accenture writes about her decision to do an apprenticeship and what led her to Accenture.
Why did I do an apprenticeship at Atos?
Guest Blog: Kyle Edwards, Apprentice Project Manager for Atos UK&I, looks back at his reasoning behind choosing an apprenticeship over a degree and why you should consider it too.
Work experience to apprenticeship
Dylan Morrison, Modern Apprentice & Senior Sales Assistant has written about his experiences going from work experience to apprentice at Dell Technologies.
How I became a Cisconian: From work experience to apprenticeship
Abu Bakr Ghulam Quadir reflects on how he became a Cisconian.
5 steps to deliver a great apprenticeship experience: a manager’s guide to success
Gillian Bink, Senior Category Manager, Surface at Microsoft writes about how managers can deliver a pathway to a great career via apprenticeships.
The beginning of a new, dynamic journey–a degree apprenticeship story
Wipro's Sebastian Aleksander Biegala, IT Consultancy Apprentice (Project Engineer) writes about his decision to do a degree apprenticeship and plans post-degree.
Apprentice to Recruitment Advisor
Hannah Whelan is an Early Careers Recruitment Advisor at Fujitsu who is also a former Business and Administration Apprentice. Read her story.
Proud to be an Apprentice!
Nicola Anderson, Head of Apprenticeship Development, Thales explores why she excited to celebrate the variety of apprenticeships available within Thales.
Profile of an apprentice
National Apprenticeship Week blog: Alice Neil, HR Administration Apprentice at BAE Systems Applied Intelligence provides insight into her typical day in her role.
What is it like to be a Software Developer on the Capgemini Apprenticeship Programme?
Abi Stokes provides an insight into the role as an Apprentice Software Developer at Capgemini.
Get involved and find out more by contacting:
Nimmi Patel
Nimmi Patel is the Policy Manager for Skills, Talent and Diversity at techUK.