'Energy, ideas and interest': the value of project management apprenticeships

Apprenticeships offer a unique pathway for individuals, serving as a bridge between education and employment.  They bring many benefits to businesses including increased productivity, improved competitiveness and a committed, skilled workforce. A recent Association for Project Management (APM) survey found that 96% of project professionals in the UK whose organisation runs a project management apprenticeship programme believe they’re an effective way to enhance skills within their teams.

APM spoke to Susie Kentell, Early Careers and Skills Development Manager (Projects) for BAE Systems, and Ignacio Herrero, Excellence Lead – Project Management for Mott MacDonald, about the value apprenticeships have brought to their respective organisations, the different considerations larger and smaller businesses must make, and how project management apprenticeships can help to future-proof businesses.

Benefits of apprenticeships

Susie believes apprenticeships benefit not only the learner but also the wider team, creating a culture of continuous learning and bringing fresh ideas into the workplace.  She said: “When you have an apprentice by your side, you've got somebody full of energy, ideas and interest. It's their job to learn. They're looking around, testing you, testing your colleagues, trying to understand things and really pushing everybody around them into a learning space. That whole process makes everybody in the team better.”

Ignacio agreed but added that the benefits extend beyond day-to-day operations and into long-term workforce planning. He said: “Apprenticeships also help address the skills shortage. Project management is one of the professions that is going to grow significantly between now and 2030–2035. The people are simply not there, so creating a path for apprentices to develop is a form of future planning.”

Unique considerations for larger and smaller businesses

The size of an organisation can shape the apprenticeship experience in different ways. Ignacio highlights how larger businesses can offer broad exposure, established networks and structured development, while smaller organisations may provide greater flexibility and the chance to work across a wider range of tasks. Ignacio said: “Larger organisations like Mott MacDonald have the advantage of being able to expose apprentices to a much wider variety of projects, processes and networks. There are also more established support structures in place. The flip side is that smaller organisations often have fewer processes and a bit more flexibility. Sometimes that might mean less support, but it can also mean apprentices are exposed to things that, in a larger organisation, they might not necessarily see.”

Susie added that, whatever the size of the business, employers still need to provide the right support, meaningful work and protected time for learning. Susie continued: “A smaller organisation may choose to work through a trusted provider, whereas a larger organisation might take on more of the governance and supportive components of an apprenticeship. At BAE Systems, we have whole teams and support structures because we have such a large number of apprentices to look after. As an employer provider, we also have additional responsibilities in ensuring programme quality and the experience for our apprentices throughout their apprenticeship. What's consistent, whether you've got one apprentice or thousands, is the responsibility to offer time and space for learning. The 20% off-the-job learning is non-negotiable. Apprentices also need meaningful work that enables them to demonstrate learning and progress.”

Advice for organisations that are considering launching or expanding their project management apprenticeship scheme

Launching or expanding a project management apprenticeship scheme requires organisations to think carefully about how apprentices will learn, where they will be placed and whether the right support is in place. Susie highlights the importance of identifying suitable projects and being honest about whether the organisation can give apprentices the time and opportunities they need to succeed. Susie said: “Really consider whether there are opportunities to embed the active learning. If you're only going to need them to do one or two things, then you are putting that apprentice at risk. It's important that organisations reflect on the opportunities and how they fit with their strategic modelling and their plan. What projects have you got coming on? Where can you place these people? Is there time for them to do the learning? It's worth knowing that up front and being honest about whether this can be done for the apprentice.”

Alongside this, Ignacio believes organisations must focus on long-term development and ensure apprentices are given opportunities to grow their skills from day one. He said: “You need to expose the apprentice to things that are going to develop their skills. They, as individuals, need to drive their development, but you, as an organisation, need to offer the opportunities to develop those skills. Sometimes that comes through formal training, but most of the time it means putting apprentices in challenging situations. Stakeholder management is a classic example. We're sometimes scared of putting less experienced people in front of senior stakeholders, but if you don't give them the opportunity, they won't develop those skills.”

Learn more about project management apprenticeships.