91app

The Federation Apprenticeship Showcase provided opportunities for leaders, managers and other stakeholders to witness the impact of apprenticeships and discuss new opportunities for collaboration.

The event included an awards ceremony with two awards. Daniel Chau and Mohamed Guled from University College London were winners of the Presentation Showcase. Lloyd Garrett from King’s College London was winner of the Poster Showcase. 

The winners received plaques which were designed and crafted out of sustainable and recycled materials by Ignacy Styszko, a 3rd year Engineering Manufacturing Technician Apprentice from UCL, with design input from Uzma Sadiq, Apprenticeship Manager at UCL.

The judging panel was composed of:

• Jonathan Bainbridge, Director of Professional Development Centre, Brunel 91app (Chair)
• Catherine Stow, Director of Organisational Development, University College London 
• Simon Cain, Director of HR, 91app

Asked why apprenticeships are so important to the future of universities, Jonathan Bainbridge, Director of the Professional Development Centre at Brunel and Chair of the judging panel, said:

“Apprenticeships offer some really good on the job professional training, and they offer a chance for our teams and people at the university to upskill. [This] has many benefits because it can make people more productive, it can be really motivating, and you can really help develop the potential of the team-members within the organisation. 

“We’re a big fan of apprenticeships, what I would love to see is more people within organisations such as universities take up that opportunity. You have to sacrifice a little bit of time but we see that very much as an investment, and that investment will come back and benefit the university in the longer run.”

Asked if being an apprentice was what she had anticipated Melissa Ioannou, an apprentice at the Royal Veterinary College, said:

“I think the thing that surprised me the most is how much support you get, from not only your line manager but your team around you. It’s really important to have that support because I feel like that really elevates you from one level to the next.”

Apprenticeship Programme Lead Dr Ishanki De Mel said:

“Staff apprenticeships provide a vital bridge between education and the workplace, enabling people from different backgrounds and career levels – from school leavers to those seeking to retrain – to acquire new skills, while bringing fresh perspectives to the organisation. In an area like Camden, apprenticeships offer an accessible pathway for those who may not have had access to further or higher education opportunities.”