West Yorkshire Apprentice Awards: LEAP Apprenticeships and Early Careers nominated for award

LEAP Apprenticeships and Early Careers, powered by Travis Perkins Plc, is up for Training Provider of the Year at the West Yorkshire Apprenticeship Awards 2023, hosted by The Apprentice star Megan Hornby.

LEAP identified that the construction sector had an ageing population of colleagues, limited training and needed to attract diverse and younger talent. The solution was to create a training programme to allow anyone, no matter their background or experience, to enter the construction sector with tailored training, including modern building techniques.

Travis Perkins was set up as an Apprenticeship Employer Provider and developed the capability to run large-scale Apprenticeship programmes. As a result, many who have completed apprenticeships have progressed into promoted roles within the business as well as in the sector.

Meet apprentice Charlie Lee

Charlie Lee had not been in full-time employment until he joined Travis Perkins through the Kickstart scheme, and had previously been on Universal Credit. After unsuccessfully trying to find work, Charlie believed he was unsuccessful for a few reasons – including his background and having no experience or qualifications.

Charlie is from the Traveller community and said he tends to keep to himself as he has experienced discrimination in the past and found school difficult because of it. By the age of 19 Charlie had no work experience and little education and had undiagnosed dyslexia – but he knew he wanted to make something of himself.

When the opportunity to join Travis Perkins through the Kickstart scheme came up he jumped at the chance. By October 2021, only four months into the programme at the Wisbech branch, his supervisor and mentor Thom saw his potential and pushed for Charlie to be employed full time.

His apprenticeship coach Susan Howes said, “Charlie has shown great determination and commitment to his learning and development, I can honestly say it has been a joy to work with him and watch his confidence grow.”

Charlie said: “The apprenticeship has taught me a lot about the business and the confidence to talk to customers and suppliers. When I first started I wasn’t that confident and my confidence has grown a lot. I have now been able to move out of my mum and dad's place, I have a motorbike now and I have my own freedom and that is all because of the apprenticeship and it is my first step to going further through the business.”

How to apply for the West Yorkshire Apprenticeship Awards

The West Yorkshire Apprenticeship Awards recognise and reward apprentices, mentors, businesses and training providers that are supporting in building a skilled workforce for the future. The Yorkshire Evening Post wants to hear about the individuals and organisations that inspire many more to consider embarking on an apprenticeship scheme as a pathway to employment.

Nominations can be made on the West Yorkshire Apprenticeship Awards website no later than Friday April 14 at 6pm.

All finalists will be invited to attend a special awards ceremony in May where we will announce the winners. The event is sponsored by Yorkshire & Humber Apprenticeship Ambassador Network, Haribo, FDM Group, Zenith, Bradford College, Appris, Yorkshire Housing & West Yorkshire Consortium of Colleges.