National Apprenticeship Week: Guest column, with The Albion Foundation
Posted on: 11th Feb 2025
Apprenticeships 
Lee Meacham, Workforce Development Coordinator at The Albion Foundation, explains how an apprenticeship fulfils the charity’s commitment to staff training and development
Each year, National Apprenticeship Week provides a perfect excuse to showcase the achievements and skillsets of the 750,000 people studying a vocational qualification.
Increasingly, stories of young professionals whose careers were sparked by an apprenticeship or established workers now thriving in new careers or roles within their existing organisation are being told.
But what can be overlooked is the overwhelmingly positive impact apprenticeships have on businesses, and charities too. Believe it or not, the wider benefits of investing in vocational training are not restricted to the learner.
At The Albion Foundation – the official charity partner of West Bromwich Albion FC – we’ve used apprenticeships to not only develop the skills, knowledge and behaviours of our coaches at the start of their journey, but also upskill senior colleagues.
Through our projects and programmes, it’s our goal to harness the power of football and deliver positive impact across our community. Having a knowledgeable and skilled workforce in place to deliver this vision is critical to our success and – more importantly – our ability to change lives for the better.
Historically, the charity had delivered apprenticeships where 100 per cent of our graduates were successfully placed into contracted work after completing their course.
Through our work with Ignite Training, we’re providing vocational training to our colleagues once more, and the benefits are twofold to both employer and employee:
- Workforce development
Placing the achievements of apprentices to one side, by allowing colleagues the opportunity to fast-track their own personal development we as a charity are directly enhancing our delivery and productivity.
- Aligned to our values
A key vision of our work is to engage, inspire and help those we work with achieve their true potential. All those deliverables will be felt during a person’s apprenticeship journey.
Never stop learning
If you need further proof to understand just how much we believe in the power of apprenticeships, I’ll tell you my story.
I’m 38 and started my coaching journey with The Albion Foundation 23 years ago as a teenager on work experience. Since then, I’ve worked as a volunteer, as a casual coach and now hold a full-time role helping our participants and colleagues to develop and learn new skills.
I never went to university and as my career has developed, I’m mindful the world has too.
To futureproof my profession, I decided to enrol onto Ignite’s Level 5 Learning and Skills Teacher apprenticeship. The programme is equivalent to a Foundation Degree and teaches me three core qualities:
- How to promote a passion for learning
- How to underpin sessions to professional standards and evidence-based learning
- How to be responsible for planning and delivering learning that is current, relevant, challenging and inspiring
I take great pride in watching people develop new skills and apply them into the real world, which is partly why becoming an apprentice in my late 30s was a no-brainer. It’s taking my skills and professional competence to the next level.
Like anyone in their 30s, life is hectic. I’m contracted to full-time employment, have a family to care of and other responsibilities and hobbies outside both the above. It’s busy – and I feel that can put some people (and businesses) off from investing in apprenticeships.
What is essential to understand is that learning is entirely non-intrusive. It’s tailored to every learner to fit around their lifestyle, which is what has made apprenticeships at The Albion Foundation such a value add for our colleagues and the charity.
Now might be the perfect time to consider how apprenticeships can work for your team.
Lee Meacham, Workforce Development Coordinator at The Albion Foundation.
