Investing in graduates to reduce staff turnover
Manufacturing | 50-249 employees | Warwick

This engineering and process automation company developed a Graduate Recruitment Programme to increase staff retention and attract more graduates into the business. All programme objectives have been met, staff turnover has dropped to 3% against a sector average of 27% and the business has grown annually by 23%.

Successfully adapting its business model
Professional Services | 1000+ employees | Bracknell

As a global leader in talent solutions, Allegis Group takes pride in connecting great people to great opportunities, helping businesses win and careers soar. They are always seeking to evolve in line with customer needs. The professional development team created a training programme to help sales teams specialise in accordance with a changing buyer landscape. Client engagement has risen exponentially, and Allegis Group’s strategic business objectives are being met. 

Providing career opportunities for entry-level staff
Pharmaceuticals and healthcare | 250-999 employees | Macclesfield

Ashfield MedComms identified the need to develop a programme to sustain the growth of its business and provide career opportunities for medical writers. It created the allegro programme to develop writers and provide entry-level staff with the initial step into a career in medical communications. Outcomes include a 79% graduation rate and 151 new writers joining the business.

Creating skill for the future
Aviation and defence | 1000+ employees | London

BAE Systems works in a complex manufacturing environment with scarce STEM skills and ageing workforce challenges. Underpinned by a clear strategy, BAE has used its Apprenticeship initiative not only to protect itself against large scale retirements but also to take the opportunity to grow into new markets for which skills do not currently exist in the marketplace. Apprenticeship standards are augmented by additional layers to create rounded and productive employees who reward the business with hard work and loyalty.

Actively supporting women into the tech industry
Technology | 1000+ employees | Manchester

BJSS delivers world-class technology solutions embracing strategy, software, cloud, data, AI and automation. It created an in-house training Academy as a response to IT skills shortages in the sector. Since 2017 over 250 recruits have started at the Academy with a retention rate of 91.9% and its last intake comprised of 34% females whereas women typically represent less than 20% of the workforce.

Bouygues Energies and Services offers engineering and service capabilities. In response to the challenges it faced recruiting talent in a competitive marketplace, the business created a Graduate Development Programme. A model of placement rotations means graduates experience different work areas and female recruitment onto the programme has risen by 43% in three years.

This respected care provider created an in-house programme to train overseas recruits to become nurses and address a national skills shortage. As well as securing a valuable workforce, Caring Homes has created a culture of inclusivity, fully supporting international trainees to pass the required exam whilst offering wider pastoral support. Pass rates for 2020-21 have increased by 11% compared to previous years.

An effective pipeline of leadership talent
Technology | 1000+ employees | Bridgend

CGI UK provides IT and consulting services in 30 countries with 6,000 employees working in the UK. The company initiated the Leadership for Growth programme as a means of upskilling managers to become leaders. 40% programme graduates have been promoted to Director roles, retention of graduates is between 96-100% and graduates receive higher performance ratings in the business.

This private bank worked with performance psychology company Mindflick to develop THiNK: a leadership programme to help leaders get the best out of themselves and others. The programme which includes collaborative problem-solving has led to significant financial outcomes, a 44% increase in promotion success and a 23% rise in staff engagement.

Instilling confidence to deliver outstanding customer service
Manufacturing | 250-999 employees | Leatherhead

This skin care brand sought to reinvent how therapists worked with customers in an omni-channel world to ensure a consistent customer experience. The CLEAR framework was launched to deliver training through internal expertise and it has resulted in a palpable confidence boost for employees. Sales targets have increased by 18% and 5* customer reviews have been achieved.

Designing a coherent, joined-up approach
Travel, transport and logistics | 1000+ employees | Swansea

DVLA wanted to create a more coherent, cost-effective and joined-up approach across its Operational and Customer Services Directorate. Designing a learning pathways map has worked as the scaffolding for the initiative and following the first lockdown DVLA was able to redeploy staff who had been trained during the pandemic to focus on work that had built up, resulting in significantly reducing the backlog.

Equipping employees with skills, knowledge and expertise
Education and training | 50-249 employees | Ystrad Mynach

Educ8 Group delivers Apprenticeship programmes and training across a variety of sectors. It created the Workforce Development Programme to equip its employees with the right skills, knowledge and expertise to do their roles effectively. The programme has led to increased staff morale and improved feedback from apprentices with 87% rating sessions as excellent and 100% rating trainers’ ability to plan and adapt programmes as excellent.

Exceeding expectations by bringing training in-house
Pharmaceuticals and healthcare | 1000+ employees | Borehamwood

To address acute nursing shortages, Elysium Healthcare identified the need to recruit and train 300 international nurses over 3 years. It created a training programme for nurses with a KPI of an 80% first time pass rate of the industry-recognised exam. By bringing the training in-house the organisation reduced learning time by half and increased first time pass rates to over 90%. Over 250 nurses have been trained with 220 retained and 28 promoted.

Equipping apprentices with career and life skills
Construction and engineering | 50-249 employees | Londonderry

This construction company established its own Apprenticeship Training Academy to address a shortage of skilled professionals and an ageing workforce. Over the past 5 years, 102 apprentices have completed the programme and 78 are still in training. Combining classroom-based training with on-site experience Errigal also equips trainees with life skills to prepare them for working away from home.

Supporting staff’s wellbeing and mental health
Education and training | <50 employees | Leicester

This primary school, based in an area with significant deprivation, created the Spotlight Programme to develop teacher self-efficacy and mental health due to feedback that many of the staff were struggling to cope. Following the rollout of the programme, attrition of Newly Qualified Teachers has reduced to nil and the capacity for staff to manage their wellbeing has increased with 84% continuing to access coaching.

Initiating a new L&D approach
Public Sector | 1000+ employees | Multiple locations

The Counter Fraud Academy delivers criminal justice training to HMRC investigators and intelligence officers. Following two breaches of policy in 2018, a new L&D policy was put into place to upskill employees. Over 2500 officers have been trained using real life scenarios and expectations and targets have been exceeded.

Lee Marley Brickwork is a specialist contractor providing brickwork, stonework and scaffolding services. In 2016 it established an Apprenticeship programme to develop competent staff and attract the best new talent. As a former apprentice, the owner is passionate about creating a holistic programme going beyond construction skills by also developing the behaviour and confidence of its apprentices.

LAMA – Providing structured learning for aspiring leaders
Banking, insurance and finance | 1000+ employees | Gloucester

The UK’s largest retail bank created the Leadership and Management Accelerator to provide a structured learning solution for aspiring leaders. The programme has resulted in high levels of engagement with ample evidence of successful application of learning in the workplace. Over 7000 staff have accessed at least one module of the programme and many have accessed over twenty modules.

Addressing gender imbalance in the tech sector
Technology | <50 employees | Birmingham

Majestic 12 is a small technology organisation which specialises in ‘internet cartography’ by mapping the internet. It achieved the Award in 2018 and has resubmitted its undergraduate industrial placement programme in 2021. In the last three years the programme has improved and the business has developed the process of providing further opportunities for female specialists

Engaging learners through challenging times
Hospitality | <50 employees | Fleet

The Master Innholders created an Aspiring Leaders Programme which develops staff in the hospitality sector from across the UK. The programme, which has kept learners engaged during a challenging time for the sector, provides strong online support and an ILM level 3 qualification. Before the pandemic trainees visited other hotels to learn from what they had to offer and 92% learners from the past three cohorts are still working in the sector.

Medico-legal Assistant Training Programme – Upskilling non-medics to continue meeting members’ needs
Professional services | 250-999 employees | London

This members-owned, not-for-profit organisation which provides medical and legal advice to healthcare professionals needed to upskill non-medics to work alongside doctors in order to continue to provide a cost effective service. Through the Medico-legal Assistant Training Programme advisers now support on cases, freeing up medical staff’s time, membership numbers are up and members’ satisfaction scores have increased.

Training Ambassadors to support children’s wellbeing
Education and Training | <50 employees | London

Set up to support children’s physical and mental wellbeing through a series of yoga training programmes, Mini Me Yoga is delivered through self-employed Ambassadors. Exceptional training is provided to Ambassadors and no previous experience is required. This has led to the creation of a sustainable business model and 27,000 children undertaking a yoga class in 2020-21.

Using innovative technology to meet ambitious growth targets
Banking, insurance and finance | 1000+ employees | Derby

As one of the UK’s leading consumer intermediary brands in the financial sector, Mortgage Advice Bureau needed to transform its onboarding programme for Advisors in order to meet ambitious growth plans. The digital programme, which uses an impressive blend of on-demand and live webinars, has offered the ability to train 650 Advisors annually and has led to savings of £75,000 from using a digital rather than face-to-face approach.

Following research showing that 98% of managers didn’t feel confident having wellbeing conversations with staff, this training provider developed and delivered an inhouse programme focusing on mental health and wellbeing. The training has acted as a catalyst for significant culture change with 70% of trainees going on to undertake suicide prevention training.

Creating a people-centred approach to career development
Professional services | 250-999 employees | London

This professional services company wanted to create a people-centred approach to training and developed the 5 Pathways solution as a way of providing career development options for all. This approach has significantly improved access to training and empowered people to decide which pathway to follow. There has been a 135% uplift in training and it has led to a 4.76 out of 5 average staff satisfaction score.

This life insurance brokerage needed to increase the number of new starters from five to fifteen per month to meet its ambitious growth targets. This presented a challenge to provide a cost-effective way to develop trainees whilst ensuring quality was maintained. The Sales Academy programme was developed and 250 staff have been trained to-date. Early attrition has been reduced by 7% and learners who have been through the programme out-perform their counterparts.

Reassured Ltd is a protection intermediary providing life insurance, funeral plans and financial services products to its customers. In 2018 with incredible staff growth and turnover at 50% the company needed to better equip people to lead and change its culture. It introduced a bespoke leadership programme using Emotional Intelligence. By investing in its people it has improved retention, reduced sickness absence and created real opportunities for its employees.

Changing behaviours through transformation
Charities and not-for-profit | 250-999 employees | Rochdale

Rochdale Boroughwide Housing (RBH) is the UK’s first tenant and employee co-owned mutual housing society, with over 12,000 homes. It created the Refreshing Repairs Transformation Programme to improve service delivery whilst making cost-savings. The training has led to a significant change in behaviours and an increase in appointments being made and kept of 3.7%.

This technology services company upskills trainees to deliver technical expertise to over 100 business across the UK, including the Home Office and ASOS. It created the Fairness Through Language programme to improve its inclusive culture and educate that words have power. The programme is having an impact on behaviours, policy and practice and the business has increased both its recruitment of females and those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Saving lives by implementing river safety education
Education and training | <50 employees | London

This non-profit was established to raise safety standards and improve the skills of those working on the River Thames. By creating the Riverside Personal Safety Course, the organisation has addressed a huge gap in a largely unregulated sector and met its ambitious targets of reducing incidents on the river by 10% per annum.

Delivering effective teaching virtually
Education and training | <50 employees | London

Making online learning more memorable and enjoyable was not simply a way of engaging its learners, it was a matter of financial survival for this small language school in 2020. As the world moved to doing things virtually, teacher training was provided to share new way of delivering lessons successfully online. Teachers feel supported and empowered to discuss new methods and student numbers have increased from 113 in 2020 to 137 in 2021.

Accelerating capabilities and career opportunities
Professional services | 1000+ employees | Birmingham

Increasing automation meant junior employees were taught the theory but received less hands-on technical experience in this global advisory, broking and solutions company. To address this the Pathfinder programme was launched to provide staff with the skills, confidence and experience to enable them to become effective client-facing consultants. Junior employees are delivering value to the business at an earlier stage while accelerating their own capabilities and careers.