The East of England Co-operative’s apprenticeships scheme is being considered for the Training Journal Awards.
The awards, for innovation and creativity among learning and development professionals around the world, feature 17 categories, and East of England is shortlisted for Best Talent Development Programme and Best Apprenticeship Programme.
The scheme was created to attract, develop and retain talented local people. The apprenticeships combine practical training with study, with apprentices paid the going rate for their role.
The programme saw 100% retention of colleagues who completed an apprenticeship, with 77% promoted to more senior roles and a further 30% going on to higher level apprenticeships. So far, 14 apprenticeships have been completed with a further 35 being undertaken.
Stephen Flurrie, head of learning and development at the East of England, said: “We have worked hard to create a fair programme which helps local people carve out a rewarding career with us in retail, and in turn ensures we have a talented and passionate workforce that live co-operative values.
“It has genuinely created a positive culture of learning in the business and employees are queuing up to take part. We are very grateful for the national recognition for our programme.”
One successful apprentice, Tom Starling, is now team manager. He said: “Without the apprenticeship I would not have had this opportunity to learn and grow as a person. I have learnt a lot of skills and knowledge and put them to good use.
“I would always highly recommend the apprenticeship scheme to anyone, as I feel it is a fantastic opportunity for education and growth within the East of England Co-op.”
At last year’s Training Journal Awards, East of England beat over 260 rivals to win Team of the Year. It also received a silver award for Best Organisational Development Programme.
