Wakefield Council named as Large Employer of the Year at the Yorkshire & Humber Regional Apprenticeship Awards

Wakefield Council has won a top regional award – recognising the excellence of its apprenticeship programme.

The Council has been named as Large Employer of the Year at the Yorkshire & Humber Regional Apprenticeship Awards.

The National Apprenticeship Awards recognise and rewards the achievements of exceptional apprentices, apprenticeship champions and apprenticeship employers. The Awards give both individuals and businesses the chance to showcase the very best practice across the country.

The award is for both private and public sector organisations, highlighting success from a wide range of industries and occupations.

The Council’s top accolade recognises the excellence of a programme which gives people opportunities to learn, develop skills, broaden their experience and education in ways that enable the Council to deliver services and support residents and communities.

The Council’s has 419 employed apprentices - including 196 people who started apprenticeships during the pandemic when the programme continued despite the challenging times.

Examples of people succeeding include an apprentice whose hard work means she’s set for a first in her degree apprenticeship. Two apprentices were finalists in the Apprentice of the Year Awards. The Council supports care leavers and all levels of apprenticeships from level 2 through to degree level.

The apprenticeship programme works with schools, colleges and job centres, to help people succeed.

Other strengths include mental health and wellbeing support, interview training and job seeking support. Apprenticeships offer opportunities as they are linked with career grades, leadership and management programmes.

Cllr Michelle Collins, Wakefield Council’s Cabinet Member for Resources, said: “We are proud to be giving opportunities to people from across the district to learn and develop new skills, that equip them well in their career.

“It is very positive that our programme is so highly valued, and to have this recognition regionally for the apprentices in our organisation who work so hard as part of their teams, to help deliver vital public services to residents and communities across our district.”

The Council has also supported businesses around the district to take on apprentices.

In November the Council will hear if it has been put forward for the National Awards in December.

(New apprenticeship opportunities will be advertised on the Council website in December for a January start. See:  https://www.wakefield.gov.uk/jobs-and-learning/apprenticeships-at-wakefield-council