Estate agents that run apprenticeship schemes have thrown their weight behind the current initiative, National Apprenticeship Week, which runs until Friday.
Connells Group, which employs over 7,000 staff, has run its own apprenticeship scheme since the start of 2013. So far, it has given 250 young people aged 16 to 23 the opportunity to ‘earn while they learn’.
The group’s apprentices are able to develop skills across a range of disciplines, including sales, lettings, mortgage services, admin, customer service, HR, payroll, recruitment, and survey and valuation.
So far, 75% of apprentices have achieved qualifications and continued on into full-time roles with the business.
Of these, 60% were promoted early and given full-time roles six months into the scheme.
This year, Connells Group also has a new head office apprenticeship programme whereby nearly 100 existing members of staff have enrolled in leadership and management development, or customer service courses.
Group development director Ian Dobrin said: “The development of our people and the training we provide has always been extremely important to us, and we ensure that all our apprentices are given all the coaching and training they need to be the future of the business.”
Leaders Romans also has an apprenticeship scheme which has proved highly successful.
There are currently 165 apprentices in the company’s scheme, and the plan is to grow this figure to 250 by the end of this year, which is 12% of the workforce.
Staff are encouraged to study for ARLA/NAEA qualifications.
Group HR director Hannah Pentecost said: “The programme has allowed us to offer greater opportunities and career development for our teams, and in return we have committed employees who are invested in the success of our business.
“We would encourage every employer to provide apprenticeship programmes.
“Not only do they provide fantastic learning opportunities, but they also teach you a thing or two along the way, allowing you to adapt your business for the future successors.”
Comments (3)
When it works … great news. BUT when Blair & Co banned business protection over apprenticeships, it was no surprise that for many it became unpopular and not just within our industry. You need either a high turnover of staff or expansion to fill the vacancies.
Apprenticeships are great, we have benefited from them and retained them at the end, but does it also not give false hope to those entering a company on the scheme when the government is making it difficult for agents to survive and retain staff, even those that have been with them for sometime?
Great initiative, well done Connells. Bearing in mind how difficult it is to recruit at the moment, I’m surprised more companies aren’t going down this route.