Blakemore Apprenticeships: Find Out More

October 01, 2021

Could You Sign Up for an Apprenticeship?

Did you know that A.F. Blakemore can offer colleagues across England a wide range of apprenticeships bespoke to their job roles completely free of charge?

There are hundreds of apprenticeships out there to choose from – in retail, supply chain, technical and specialist subjects, leadership, management and more.

Qualifications can span from entry level all the way to degree level, and there is no upper age limit. Anyone aged 16 and over is eligible to apply for one.

A.F. Blakemore can work in partnership with its training provider to source courses that may be relevant to you and your job role.  

Please get in touch with Head of Business Improvement Dave Hammond (dhammond@afblakemore.co.uk) if you would like to find out more about apprenticeship opportunities or enquire about taking on an apprentice in your team. 
 

Retail Apprenticeships

A.F. Blakemore currently offers retail apprenticeships for colleagues working in:

• Retail
• Food service, including Philpotts
• The Post Office
• Management roles

Working in partnership with the company’s training provider, Performance Through People (PTP), you can gain an apprenticeship from a Level 2 to a Level 7 depending on your job role.

Whether you are an assistant, supervisor, team leader or part of the management team, there is an apprenticeship for you! 
 

What is an apprenticeship and how does it work?

An apprenticeship is a chance to learn and gain experience whilst doing your job. You will receive training, e-learning study and monthly one-to-one contact with your tutor. You will also receive support from an instore mentor.

It is made up of two components:

• Apprenticeship
• Level 2 Functional Skills in Maths and English

An apprenticeship involves learning about your job role within Blakemore’s, understanding the importance of customer service, the business, working in a team and legalities. This will all be supported by your mentor.

Functional Skills is about gaining a recognised qualification both in English and Maths equivalent to GCSE Level 4 or C or above (if applicable). Full support and coaching will be given to you by your tutor. You will be given a workbook with various projects to complete and will receive bitesize e-learning.

Your apprenticeship will involve an endpoint assessment (EPA). This is an assessment of the knowledge, skills and behaviours that you have learned throughout your apprenticeship, which confirm that you are competent in your job role. The assessment could include a presentation, observation, multiple choice tests or practical tests. Your tutor will prepare you for the EPA throughout your learning.

Qualifications available

How can I apply?

To become an apprentice, you must:

• Be over 16 years old (there is no upper age limit)
• Not be in full-time education 
• Work a minimum of 16 hours a week

Please note: Due to government levy funding, this is not available to people living in Wales.

To register your interest, please email Learning & Development Enquires on L&DEnquiries@afblakemore.co.uk with the following information:

• Name
• Date of birth
• Home postcode
• Store
• The apprenticeship programme you want to go on

You must inform your manager that you have applied. 
 

What happens next?

You will be invited to an onboarding meeting. This is where everyone’s expectations, the commitment required and the application criteria can be discussed. When all supporting parties are happy, then you are ready to go! PTP will then complete the sign-up paperwork.

Colleagues Celebrate Apprenticeship Success

Several colleagues who completed A.F. Blakemore’s Future Leaders Apprenticeship programme attended a graduation ceremony at Stafford County Showground this week.

Mandy Gasson, Nayna Mistry, Nadine Sandle, Judith Harper and Rachel Hooper all participated in the company’s Future Leaders ILM Level 3 Diploma in Management Apprenticeship programme, which aimed to help colleagues develop a range of essential management skills and build up their leadership capability.

The course was developed and co-delivered by A.F. Blakemore and apprenticeship provider Performance Through People (PTP).

Group HR & Strategy Director Ian Diment commented: “Congratulations to all candidates who successfully completed their qualification – especially during the coronavirus pandemic.

“Programmes like this are key to A.F. Blakemore’s future leadership development plans and bringing new skills into the workplace.”

The programme consisted of a series of training sessions and work-based skills assessments, with core units including leadership & management, communication, finance, self-awareness and problem solving.

Delegates were assessed via written work, professional discussions, online knowledge tests and business presentations. 

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