COMMENT: Why organisations are catching the ‘apprenticeship bug’
Posted on: 1st Nov 2023
Apprenticeships 
Sorcha Murphy, Business Development Manager at Ignite Training, discusses how Ignite Training excels in forging lasting partnerships through a person-centred approach
One of our key objectives at Ignite Training is to raise the profile of apprenticeships by challenging existing misconceptions and attitudes surrounding them.
The classic example is the dated idea that apprenticeships are reserved for post-GCSE school leavers as an alternative to continuing studies at university and comes at a financial and time cost to small and medium-sized businesses.
We are passionate about promoting apprenticeships as a brilliant, cost-effective option for organisations to upskill and boost retention of existing staff.
One of the most important steps we have taken to widening access to vocational education is to develop a varied portfolio of courses from Community Activator Coach and Teaching Assistant to Content Creator and Operations/Departmental Manager qualifications.
This has allowed Ignite to cater to a broad range of sectors, demonstrated by the partnerships we have established in education, sports organisations, charities and even the NHS.
However, our partnerships are not only broad, but also deep.
The figures speak for themselves, two-thirds of our work is repeat business from organisations that trust us with apprenticeship delivery year after year.
But how do we manage to successfully retain so many clients?
Implementing the feedback we receive into our approach is vital to maintaining trusting, long-term relationships with the organisations we partner with.
Consistently, we are told that our clients value the following: our flexible, responsive and personal approach.
Our working relationships are based on small, dedicated account teams that work with our partner organisations over long periods of time.
When working with Ignite we become an extension of our clients’ teams, so enquiries are dealt with by a familiar point of contact rather than a faceless service desk.
By adopting this approach, we become experts on our clients, their apprentices, and how they benefit best from working with us. We tailor apprenticeships to the requirements of each client, blending online learning, one-to-one and group sessions with the aim of aligning off-the-job training with the client’s working operation.
This approach is also extended to the individual apprentices. Our courses range in length, with some of the Level 5 Apprenticeships lasting two years.
We provide continuity by ensuring apprentices remain with their assigned tutors throughout their period of study and employment, allowing them to benefit from regular touchpoints and visits from the Ignite team.
The result of this person-centred approach is not only retaining clients, but also keeping apprentices – with half of them deciding to stay on to further their studies with Ignite after gaining their first qualification.
Organisations across many sectors see the value add in partnering with Ignite Training, and many choose to do so on a repeated basis.
They recognise the benefits of investing in apprenticeships as a form of continuing professional development by boosting the skillsets and job satisfaction of their people, which in turn helps them achieve their business objectives.
Sorcha Murphy, Business Development Manager, Ignite Training
