The Tuesday focus for this year’s National Apprenticeship Week is employer support. Ageas’s Chief People Officer, Sian Myers, shares her thoughts on how the organisation’s latest people upskilling programme is offering opportunities to its existing talent.
Apprenticeships are a great way to attract new talent to our organisation.
By offering a variety of career paths and continuously improving the scope of our apprenticeships, I have seen real benefits for our business and local communities alike.
Traditionally these programmes are designed to bring new people to a business, but what if we were to take this approach and adapt it to nurture existing talent too?
As we are committed to offering our people the opportunity to grow their skills and their careers, the idea of building an internal apprenticeship pathway was a natural next step for us.
Upskilling our people
At Ageas I’m proud to say that we invest in the best, which is why we offer our people opportunities based on interest rather than seniority or experience.
Every day our people demonstrate their boundless potential, so we want to continue breaking down barriers to entry and empower our people to try, explore, and develop.
In February 2024, we introduced a new internal career mobility programme, which was created following feedback from colleagues in entry-level roles. Made up of three parts including an internal bootcamp and external training, the apprenticeship component is integral.
Without the need for prior experience, this programme provides our people with a development route from any area of the business into a new permanent role. It’s been so successful that we have now added a digital marketing pathway to the initial data and IT development routes.
By offering this apprenticeship-based opportunity internally, we’re not just providing a career first step. I am proud to say we are nurturing a community of learners and doers, developing a pipeline of talent in key technical areas, maximising opportunities for our people, and growing our business from the inside out.
The response
Feedback from our applicants has been overwhelmingly positive, citing that it is a ‘brilliant opportunity’ and a chance to develop new skills and reach ‘career goals’.
Graciela Hernandez has been part of the data pathway. From Benefits and Payroll Officer in HR to Data Analyst, she told me: “The programme has been the best learning experience of my career. Ageas has truly excelled with the programme, offering not only exceptional training but also significant opportunities for growth and career development. I feel privileged to be part of this programme and am eager to contribute to the company’s ongoing success with my new skills and knowledge.”
We are so proud of our people who have decided to challenge themselves by learning new skills and elevating their careers. The appetite is there and although we have only recently just added a new pathway, I am excited to say this is just the start of this apprenticeship-based programme.
Recognised as a Top Employer for the fourth consecutive year we are constantly striving to make Ageas a great place to grow, and career mobility is one of many ways we are doing this. Regardless of work level or existing skill set, we are committed to giving our people the opportunity to access the training and support they need to make the most of career opportunities.
Career starters
We believe apprenticeships are a valuable route to finding and nurturing the new talent we need for our business. Externally we partner with local colleges and universities, and our entry-point apprenticeship schemes have been created with the local community in mind.
In 2024, I am very pleased to share that we had 39 apprenticeship completions across the business in a range of apprenticeship programmes.
Visit our careers site to find out more about joining Ageas on an apprenticeship.
National Apprenticeship Week
Led by the Department for Education, National Apprenticeship Week is an annual celebration that brings together businesses and apprentices to highlight the positive impact that apprenticeships make to individuals, businesses, and the wider economy.