The Midcounties Co-operative Supports More Apprenticeships Than Ever

To mark National Apprenticeship Week, The Midcounties Co-operative has revealed the success of its ongoing apprenticeship programme.

Headquartered in Warwick, the business currently has more than 130 colleagues on an apprenticeship programme, the most it’s ever had at one time.

Over the past year, more than 30 colleagues have graduated from its LEAP apprenticeship schemes, structured training programmes which run between 14 months and three years, alongside working their usual day-to-day job.

The apprenticeship schemes range across The Midcounties Co-operative’s family of businesses, including Co-op Food, Co-op Little Pioneers Childcare, Co-op Travel, Co-op Energy and Co-op Broadband and Mobile businesses, as well as head office roles such as finance, HR and analytics.

For example, the Co-op Little Pioneers childcare business has supported junior colleagues to become Level 3 qualified practitioners and progress into leadership roles, while Co-op Food employees have transitioned into store managers after completing leadership qualifications.

The Apprenticeship Levy, introduced in 2017, is a government initiative that requires large employers to pay a tax to fund apprenticeship programmes, with the aim of increasing the number and quality of apprenticeships in the workforce.

The Midcounties Co-operative uses the fund to develop employees and provides the chance to upskill and gain experience and formal qualifications needed for management and leadership roles.

Tarryn Spencer, Senior Practitioner at Co-op Little Pioneers Cainscross nursery & pre-school, chose to do an Early Years Educator Level 3 Apprenticeship. She said: “It was time for a career change and the apprenticeship gave me the opportunity to gain a qualification in something I wanted to do as a career at my own pace, whilst earning a wage.

Whilst changing careers was daunting, the apprenticeship provided me with both the understanding and confidence to take the next step and progress in my career, I’m so thankful for the opportunity.”

Philip Ponsonby, CEO at The Midcounties Co-operative, said: “As a co-operative, we strongly believe in doing good together to make a collective difference, and our commitment to apprenticeships aims to do just that, helping strengthen our industries whilst creating opportunities for talented individuals to forge meaningful, rewarding careers.”

The Midcounties Co-operative is a family of businesses, covering more than 230 Co-op food stores across the West Midlands, Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire. It also trades nationally through its Co-op Travel, Co-op Childcare, Co-op Energy and Co-op Broadband and Mobile businesses.

For more information on The Midcounties Co-operatives apprentice schemes, visit the website here.