Apprenticeships: Imperial College London

As part of National Apprenticeship Week 2021, the Science Council interviewed Ailish Harikae, Apprenticeships Manager at Imperial College London.

Which apprenticeship programmes have you utilised?

At Imperial, we have more than a hundred apprentices, which includes new starters and those who have taken on an apprenticeship as CPD for their current job role.

We have a well-established Technician Apprenticeship Scheme, which is aligned to the level 3 Engineering Technician standard and is delivered over four years. Two apprentices a year graduate from the scheme, and we have eight apprentices a year when at full capacity. Apprentices do a series of workshop rotations and get to experience a wide range of learning opportunities and experiences.

We are currently exploring the possibility of a level 3 Laboratory Technician Apprenticeship and are hoping to recruit two apprentices to start in September.

What were the drivers that encouraged your organisation to employ and invest in apprentices?

Imperial has a long history of employing apprentices. Our current Technician Apprenticeship Scheme was re-established in 2011, as part of our succession planning. The scheme is small but has been a success, both for the College and for the apprentices.

Were/Are the apprenticeships for existing staff or new additions to the workforce?

We take on a small number of new starters each year on apprenticeship contracts. We also use the apprenticeship levy to invest in developing our existing staff.

Nearly a hundred members of staff are upskilling with apprenticeships as part of their CPD. Technical staff are well-represented and we have a growing number of technicians using the apprenticeship route to develop leadership and management skills.

How have you responded to the challenges of COVID19 in account of this?

Online learning has increased during COVID19, however, prior to this, learning was delivered through a combination of online learning and classroom-based sessions, to help balance study with operational demands. Existing staff generally join a cohort but are able to take their learning at their own pace and on flexible schedules.

What has been the impact on the business by utilising apprenticeships?

Apprenticeships are delivering some really good outcomes. It is great to see younger people coming through our Technician Apprenticeship Scheme, allowing us to address the skills gaps that we have emerging as experienced technical staff approach retirement.

We find that apprentices inject a new energy into teams, and staff enjoy sharing their skills and the mentoring opportunities that it brings. As we rotate apprentices, knowledge between departments gets shared in a way which it normally wouldn’t.

What do you consider to be the main benefits and values of having apprentices?

Another benefit is that, in recent years, we have seen a good rate of retention among our completing apprentices, and they are often given the opportunity of employment with us after their training. For our existing staff, who are more established in their careers, having the opportunity to do an apprenticeship can be both motivating and personally rewarding – and Imperial benefits from the new learning they gain.

Imperial College London

As part of National Apprenticeship Week 2021, the Science Council interviewed Ailish Harikae, Apprenticeships Manager at Imperial College London.

Which apprenticeship programmes have you utilised?

At Imperial, we have more than a hundred apprentices, which includes new starters and those who have taken on an apprenticeship as CPD for their current job role.

We have a well-established Technician Apprenticeship Scheme, which is aligned to the level 3 Engineering Technician standard and is delivered over four years. Two apprentices a year graduate from the scheme, and we have eight apprentices a year when at full capacity. Apprentices do a series of workshop rotations and get to experience a wide range of learning opportunities and experiences.

We are currently exploring the possibility of a level 3 Laboratory Technician Apprenticeship and are hoping to recruit two apprentices to start in September.

What were the drivers that encouraged your organisation to employ and invest in apprentices?

Imperial has a long history of employing apprentices. Our current Technician Apprenticeship Scheme was re-established in 2011, as part of our succession planning. The scheme is small but has been a success, both for the College and for the apprentices.

Were/Are the apprenticeships for existing staff or new additions to the workforce?

We take on a small number of new starters each year on apprenticeship contracts. We also use the apprenticeship levy to invest in developing our existing staff.

Nearly a hundred members of staff are upskilling with apprenticeships as part of their CPD. Technical staff are well-represented and we have a growing number of technicians using the apprenticeship route to develop leadership and management skills.

How have you responded to the challenges of COVID19 in account of this?

Online learning has increased during COVID19, however, prior to this, learning was delivered through a combination of online learning and classroom-based sessions, to help balance study with operational demands. Existing staff generally join a cohort but are able to take their learning at their own pace and on flexible schedules.

What has been the impact on the business by utilising apprenticeships?

Apprenticeships are delivering some really good outcomes. It is great to see younger people coming through our Technician Apprenticeship Scheme, allowing us to address the skills gaps that we have emerging as experienced technical staff approach retirement.

We find that apprentices inject a new energy into teams, and staff enjoy sharing their skills and the mentoring opportunities that it brings. As we rotate apprentices, knowledge between departments gets shared in a way which it normally wouldn’t.

What do you consider to be the main benefits and values of having apprentices?

Another benefit is that, in recent years, we have seen a good rate of retention among our completing apprentices, and they are often given the opportunity of employment with us after their training. For our existing staff, who are more established in their careers, having the opportunity to do an apprenticeship can be both motivating and personally rewarding – and Imperial benefits from the new learning they gain.