As director of operations at u003ca href=u0022https://www.efficiencynorth.org/futuresu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noopeneru0022u003eEN:Able Futuresu003c/au003e, a passion for apprenticeships is crucial, as well as a good memory
There isn’t a typical day. No two days are the same. I can be working from home or in EN:Able Futures’ office at our construction training site in north Hull.
I can be out and about travelling to meet hosts, visiting apprentices on site or attending meetings and events from as far north as Newcastle, throughout Yorkshire and Humber, down to the East Midlands.
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I like to spend time really getting to know the teams of our apprentice hosts and listening to their individual needs, to understand any challenges they face.
I also check in on my team to make sure they feel fully supported.
What specific skills, knowledge and attributes do you need for your role?
Flexibility and stamina are vital. There’s a lot of ground to cover. You need a passion for apprenticeships and a thorough knowledge of the apprenticeship agenda.
You need a deep understanding of the construction industry and challenges the sector is facing in our current uncertain economic climate, and the impact of global politics on the supply chain and materials.
You also need a very good memory – we have so many different hosts, apprentices and apprenticeship standards. We’ve recently taken on our 500th apprentice after 10 years in operation. That’s a lot of names and faces to remember!
What is the most challenging aspect of your role?
There are a lot of different strands to juggle – overseeing the pastoral care our apprenticeship managers provide for all apprentices; business development to engage new hosts; innovating our recruitment to reach young people who may otherwise be unaware of the potential career opportunities flexi-job apprenticeships provide; engaging with partners and key stakeholders, such as colleges.
There’s much to do. It can sometimes be difficult to finish a job when you’re pulled in so many different directions.
What is most rewarding about your role?
I can never get tired of seeing apprentices graduate. I love going out on site and celebrating their success and presenting them with their completion certificates whenever I can manage it.
It’s also a buzz seeing them progress into sustainable long-term careers, watching them grow and develop, using the groundwork of knowledge and experience they have gained through their apprenticeship.
I’m most proud of how EN:Able Futures creates apprenticeships where there may not otherwise be an entry route into employment. There are 500 people who might not have had the opportunity of a career in construction if one of our flexi-job apprenticeships hadn’t been available for them.
Now more than ever is the time for employers to invest in the future and recognise the benefits of apprenticeships in the construction sector.
We’ve been facing a skills shortage for a while, and it will only worsen over the next five years unless we invest now.
We need constant innovation in apprenticeship models, such as flexi-job apprenticeships, to make it an attractive option for both apprentices and businesses.
