During National Apprenticeship Week (NAW), employers and organisations unite to present their enticing apprenticeship opportunities to young people seeking valuable learning experiences, as well as celebrate how apprentices benefit not only the business but also the apprentice, the economy along with showing show they can support creating and finding new hidden talent, and unlocking existing by upskilling current workforce.
As the dust settles on the 17th annual celebration of apprenticeships and T-Levels and the excitement slowly recedes, it’s time for Omni to reflect upon the remarkable NAW2024 that has just concluded. This event is a powerful reminder of the outstanding opportunities to inspire and empower people of all ages. By embracing apprenticeships, we can provide new apprentices and exciting staff wanting to upskill or grow in their careers with a unique platform to cultivate their skills and explore diverse environments that align with their passions and aspirations.
According to the UK Gov, people of all ages start careers in various fascinating professions or upskill at different levels through apprenticeships to advance their career journey. An increasing number of individuals opt for high-quality apprenticeships, which companies create to guarantee that individuals have the knowledge, skills and behaviours required to land a significant position in a top industry, like hospitality and facilitates management and many more exciting and rewarding industries.
In an article by Business Leader, numerous companies emphasised the remarkable uptake of apprenticeships during the previous National Apprenticeship Week periods, with many recognising the importance of the program. It also highlighted that apprenticeships are a powerful tool for fostering talent, bridging skills gaps, and cultivating a skilled workforce for the future.
Another critical factor why Omni embrace apprenticeships is the benefits they bring to companies; employers can gain from apprenticeships in several ways; according to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, their research shows that 80% of employers have maintained or enhanced future skills in the workplace, with 70% having observed improvements in their products and services and 66% have noticed an increase in employee morale.
Our in-depth, bespoke apprenticeship offering is created by our Learning and Development (L&D) team and our partners Learning Curve, GLT Training, and Inspiro have been tailored to meet our business needs, skills gaps and support with upskilling and supporting those wanting to advance in their careers within Omni.
Our apprenticeship framework has a diverse and skills-based approach, ranging from Hospitality, Human Resources, Health Safety and Environmental, Finance, Facilities Management and Operations, ensuring that all employees get the opportunity to develop a higher level of skills and expertise.
During this year’s NAW, we successfully enrolled and welcomed ten HR Apprentices, five Team Leaders, and Supervisor Apprentices. We have already started planning our next round of apprentices, due to begin their apprentice journey in the second quarter of 2024.
Peter Lee, Head of Learning and Development at Omni Group, states NAW's importance: "The opportunity has highlighted the value of apprenticeships as a cornerstone for career advancement and personal development. We are proud to witness a 16% rise in our workforce pursuing growth through our apprenticeship programs. Our bespoke apprenticeship offerings are more than a commitment; they celebrate potential, skill, and aspiration. By enveloping individual career plans with our diverse apprenticeships, we are shaping futures and enhancing the now."
Our apprenticeship programs have a human-centred focus, with a critical component being continuous learning for all our employees, from fully qualified and accredited qualifications in hospitality to identifying the unique strengths of our employees by unlocking their hidden strengths along with building an environment that plays to their strengths; we believe in an approach where fostering and creating a culture around a centre of learning and development and personal growth benefits not only Omni but also the wellbeing of each apprentice within the organisation.