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Apprenticeships: Unlocking Opportunities

26/09/2024

Apprenticeships: Unlocking Opportunities text with photo of presenter Sangeeta Kandola

As businesses strive to stay competitive in a global market, apprenticeships offer a strategic way to develop tailored talent, drive innovation, and close critical skills gaps. By fostering a culture of growth and development, companies can build a stronger, more agile workforce that is prepared for the future.

ITN Business will be launching an in-depth, news-style programme, ‘Apprenticeships: Unlocking Opportunities’ for National Apprenticeship Week 2025, February 10th-16th, to highlight the transformative power of apprenticeships and provide insights into how organisations are harnessing the full potential of apprenticeships to create inclusive, sustainable, and innovative workplaces.

The programme will be produced in partnership with thought leaders The Association of Apprentices (AoA) and UCAS, and explore key themes such as: 

  • Developing a future-ready workforce: How businesses can leverage apprentices to fill critical roles in emerging fields like AI, data, and cybersecurity, helping them adapt to technological changes and industry needs.
  • Driving innovation and global competitiveness: How apprentices can help equip businesses with fresh perspectives and globally relevant skills to enter new markets.
  • Aligning with sustainable business goals: How investing in apprenticeships aligns with broader business goals, such as enhancing diversity, sustainability, and inclusion.
  • Securing future leaders: How apprenticeship programmes improve retention by offering clear career development paths, reduce recruitment costs and contribute to productivity.
  • Investing in the full apprenticeship journey: How ongoing investment in apprenticeships from recruitment to completion helps businesses build skilled, committed talent.

Anchored by reporter and presenter Sangeeta Kandola, the programme will feature reporter-led case study films that bring to life the stories of businesses and apprentices driving change. It will be hosted on the ITN Business Content Hub and supported by a comprehensive audience engagement campaign, including widespread distribution by our Editorial Partners.

Be a part of the conversation

There are commercial opportunities for leading organisations to be featured in the programme and spearhead their own news item. If your business has a story to share, please contact ITN Business’ Programming Directors, Jamie Connolly at Jamie.Connolly@itn.co.uk and Tamsin Luck at Tamsin.Luck@itn.co.uk. To learn how you can get involved, please visit the ITN Business hub.

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Jan Richardson-Wilde

CEO, Occupational Awards Limited

Jan is the CEO of Occupational Awards Limited, a Director of the National Skills Academy for Food and Drink and an FE College Governor. She has over 35 years’ experience in the education sector in strategic and operational management of training programmes with colleges, private training providers, local authorities the voluntary sector and not for profit organisations. Jan has previously been a board member of the Learning and Skills Council, chair of the North Yorkshire Training Provider network and Vice-Chair of Yorkshire Coast College and a Governor of the Grimsby Institute for Further and Higher Education. She has extensive experience of education policy, apprenticeships, qualification, and curriculum development as well as business improvement.

Jan joined OAL in 2019, a leading non-profit industry-focused Awarding and End-Point Assessment Organisation, supporting a wide range of employers and of key stakeholders to succeed and surpass expectations. Jan is committed to continuous improvement and enthusiastic about improving the effectiveness, impact and quality of apprenticeships, education, and training in the UK and internationally. She has a wide range of experience of working in a collaborative context with employers and training providers to develop End Point Assessment, apprenticeships, and a wide range of vocational programmes.

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