National Apprenticeship Week 2024, taking place February 5^th – 11^th, is celebrated across the UK, and Educ8 Group stand firmly behind the power of apprenticeships, not only to continue supporting the British economy through challenging times, but also as an incredible way to propel businesses and individuals towards a brighter future.

Aligning with this year’s theme ‘Skills for Life’, Educ8, a leading provider of training and apprenticeships in the UK, is affirming its dedication to empowering learners through high-quality training and apprenticeships that offer a practical path to valuable skills and job confidence.

The past few years have undoubtedly been challenging. Businesses have navigated uncertainty, talent shortages, and evolving demands. Educ8 believes that investing in skills development is no longer just a strategic move, but a critical necessity for thriving in the new landscape. Apprenticeships offer a win-win solution, addressing skills gaps head-on while nurturing talent within, fostering loyalty, and boosting productivity. With multiple levels of apprenticeships available, learner progression into higher skill sets and higher earning roles is also supported.

Morgan Thomason, a level 3 barbering apprentice, said “The reason I think an apprenticeship is so beneficial is because you get to learn in a pressure-free environment. When you’re at college, you’re constantly working to deadlines. When you’re in a salon, you’ve got more freedom and flexibility.

I’ve had so many opportunities through doing an apprenticeship. I’ve spoken at events, competed in national competitions, and become an ambassador for ISA Training, which is part of Educ8 Group. It’s important that learners feel supported in the same way I do because there’s so much to get involved in”.

Apprenticeships are an invaluable route to building skills for individuals, but they are not just training initiatives, they are catalysts for growth and success. Educ8 sees the human impact firsthand as apprentices bring fresh perspectives, enthusiasm, a thirst for knowledge, and can seamlessly integrate into teams. They add value to businesses through continuous learning that is specific to their role and industry, able to take on more tasks and nurture their strategic thinking, turning into future leaders built within the businesses themselves.

Jude Holloway, Managing Director of Educ8, acknowledges the significant impact apprenticeships have on businesses, “Apprenticeships are a proven model for developing a skilled workforce and an excellent vehicle to offer real opportunities for people to progress in their careers. There is no substitute  for quality training within the workplace, filling skills gaps and making a tangible difference to individuals and employers.”

Educ8 is helping businesses understand the power of apprenticeships and the challenges that they can help overcome, through events such as the ISA Connect X Salon Help event held recently. The workshop showcased the way apprentices could help salons offer new services, enhance their reputation, and stay ahead of industry trends, as well experiencing exclusive coaching sessions from industry experts.

Educ8’s expert trainer coaches deliver a blend of theoretical knowledge and practical experience, ensuring apprentices are equipped to hit the ground running and make a real difference. The Group is consistently introducing new and innovative apprenticeships that address the needs of the economy, businesses, and the learning requirements of apprentices themselves.

In 2023 Educ8 Training introduced a new Energy and Carbon Management apprenticeship and in November received a grant from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to launch ‘Multiply – Calculating your potential’, a community project designed to improve the numeracy skills of adults.

Apprenticeships and further education are not only for young people, and they offer a rich choice of pathways to new skills, personal development, job satisfaction, and peace of mind for people of all ages and backgrounds. There is no limit to learning when it’s possible to study a range of qualifications including Digital Marketing, Leadership and Management, Social Media for Business, Project Management and more.

Edcu8 is proud to be a part of the dynamic apprenticeship landscape in Wales, a region committed to bridging skills gaps and unleashing the potential of its workforce. This National Apprenticeship Week, Educ8 calls upon businesses across Wales to embrace the power of skills development. Explore the diverse range of apprenticeships available, invest in your future workforce, and witness the transformative impact on your business.

Welsh Government’s final budget 2024-25 will be published on 27th February. Ahead of this, Educ8 Training Group, a leading provider of training and apprenticeships in the UK, is striving to showcase the substantial value and worth that apprenticeships offer workplaces and the Welsh economy.

Latest figures from the Welsh Government show a growing appetite for apprenticeships in Wales, with an increase of more than 20% in the number of apprenticeship learning programmes started in academic Q3 2022/2023 compared to the same period the previous year [1]. Educ8 has also been witnessing a consistent upward trend for apprenticeships in Wales, serving more learners than ever before.

This increase in apprenticeship enrolment has a positive impact on the country’s professional workforce. It helps to develop the infrastructure within businesses that can bolster the Welsh economy, as well as delivering on the Welsh Government’s Young Person Guarantee to support those aged 16-24 in securing further education, training and employment. The potential cuts Wales is facing will undermine both of these aspects of apprenticeships.

Apprenticeships are a unique pathway to learning that have untold benefits for the apprentices themselves and employers. Able to jump straight into a working environment, learners can start developing valuable hard and soft skills immediately, without taking on any student debt. These skills are directly related to the role they are in, giving them confidence in the workplace and providing employers with exactly what they need to address skill gaps. Apprenticeships play a pivotal role in nurturing professional development and resolving the ever-changing needs of Wales’ workforce.

Paul Stevenson, People Development Manager at Parkdean Resorts, says “The news that there could be a 24.5% cut in funding for apprenticeships in Wales, has come as a huge surprise to us. 

Over the last few years, we have been working closely with our Welsh providers to develop our people at all levels of our business; from new people joining us to the advancement of our managers, enabling them to acquire further knowledge, skills, and behaviours to support their career.

Being able to offer apprenticeships in our recruitment enables us to attract people to our business and support them through an apprenticeship programme. Apprenticeship development is a key part of our succession planning that provides people with lifelong knowledge and skills to develop their careers, as well as using these skills in other aspects of life.

This proposed cut could potentially undermine how we recruit and develop our people in Wales in the future.”

Welsh Government is facing huge challenges in the landscape of its funding, and it is anticipated that the upcoming policy statement on apprenticeships will reveal that due to a 3.65% budget cut and loss of previous European funding, the apprenticeship programme will be cut by 24.5% in 2024-25.

Inevitably, these cuts will lead to a significant drop in the number of apprenticeship places that can be offered throughout Wales. The National Training Federation for Wales (NTFW), of which Educ8 is a member, estimates that it will result in 10,000 fewer apprentices over the next two years, of which 5,500 are expected to be in health and social care. These reductions would disproportionately harm young people (aged 16-24), especially those who are women, live in socio-economically deprived areas and are from ethnic minority backgrounds.

With a wide number of fields now available to study, the demand for apprenticeships is expected to increase again next year. Providing qualifications such as Social Media for Business and Digital Marketing, Educ8 has first-hand experience of how these apprenticeships are being used to fill the ever-growing demand for digital and technology skills.

Its new Energy and Carbon Management qualification, which covers modules including energy procurement and analysis of energy consumption is also playing an important part. With the introduction of this training, Educ8 is witnessing how apprenticeships can pave the way to a more energy-conscious economy and significantly contribute to achieving the government’s net zero target.

Speaking on the value of apprenticeships, Grant Santos, CEO of Educ8 Training Group said: “Apprenticeships are needed to answer the challenges of the modern world and prepare society for the jobs of the future. High-quality apprenticeships like those offered by Educ8 can improve the economic prospects of Welsh workers and help to create a skilled workforce, and that is why it’s so important we advocate for the value of apprenticeships to the Welsh economy and maintain the level of investment in this flagship programme.”

If you are an employer whose business has seen significant benefits from apprenticeships, you can make representations to Welsh Government by emailing the Minister for Economy, Vaughan Gething at Correspondence.Vaughan.Gething@gov.wales.

For more information on the range of apprenticeships and qualifications offered by Educ8, visit https://www.educ8training.co.uk/

1. https://www.gov.wales/apprenticeship-learning-programmes-started-february-april-2023-provisional