150 apprenticeships to be created by Leighton Buzzard company over the next year

A Leighton Buzzard-based company is to take on 150 apprentices over the next year.

Property services firm Connells Group made the pledge to hire the youngsters across its head office and estate agency subsidiaries as part of National Apprenticeship Week, March 14 to 18. The group’s promise is in co-operation with the Skills Funding Agency’s Apprenticeship Pledge-O-Meter and promises to help kick start careers of many young people hoping to get into the property industry.

Launched in 2013, the Connells Group Apprenticeship Scheme offers young people aged 16 to 23 the opportunity to ‘earn while they learn’ and develop vital skills across a multitude of professional disciplines including residential sales, lettings, mortgage services, business administration, customer service, HR, payroll, recruitment and survey and valuation.

In just three years nearly 200 apprentices have achieved their NVQ qualifications and continued into full time roles within the company, resulting in an above average completion rate of 70%. With nearly 130 apprenticeships currently live across the business, the group’s pledge means that apprentices will make up nearly 4.5% of the company’s total headcount, which currently stands at 6,400 employees.

David Livesey, Connells Group chief executive said: “Our apprenticeship scheme signifies an incredible opportunity both for young people wanting to get into the industry and for us as an employer. We offer our apprentices all the coaching and training they need to be the best in the business, as well as excellent career progression.

“With ‘Rising to the Top’ as this year’s theme for National Apprenticeship Week, we want to highlight the success of many of our former apprentices – some of whom are already close to manager level just two years after finishing their apprenticeships. The development of our staff is one of the fundamental values at the heart of our business and our apprenticeship scheme is a great way for us to invest in the next generation and develop the property professionals of the future.”

Sue Husband, director of the National Apprenticeship Service said: “It is great news that Connells Group has pledged 150 apprenticeships for this year, helping us on our journey to 3 million apprenticeship starts by 2020.

“Good quality apprenticeships offer a fantastic way for many young people to earn as they learn whilst providing employers with the skills they need for their business. Our Pledge-o-meter has been designed to record the pledges employers make to take on apprentices and trainees, with commitments pledged from now until the end of National Apprenticeship Week 2016.”

For more information on National Apprenticeship Week, visit

https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/national-apprenticeship-week-2016

For more information on Connells Group’s Apprenticeship Scheme, please contact Ian Dobrin, group recruitment director at [email protected]

Related topics: