Case Studies
Hear from local businesses using apprenticeships to recruit, retain and develop their workforce
The Western Training Provider Network are a not-for-profit organisation that connects education, business and training. We are on a mission to inspire and support businesses and individuals in the West of England to maximise their potential through apprenticeships. We work with schools, parents and employers to drive our mission. We also manage a network of 35 training providers who deliver the majority of apprenticeships in the region.
Meet some of the SMEs we've worked with through the West of England Apprenticeship Service and Workforce for the Future programme...
 Spotlight on: Actionable InsightBased in Bath, Actionable Insight is a boutique digital strategy and transformation consultancy that enables senior executives to make smarter business decisions by adding human intelligence to digital analytics. We spoke with Director Roger Jones about why the business decided to grow their team and how the impartial advice and support from the West of England Apprentice Service helped assist the process. |  The Assembly Bakery Video Case StudyTheir director, Matt Rimmer, got in touch with the West of England Apprenticeship Service to discuss recruiting and upskilling via apprenticeships as they rebuilt the business after the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Matt wanted to provide cost-effective training and development opportunities for existing staff that would provide certification of competence in their baker roles, as well as rebuild the team and recruit new staff into the business. |  Spotlight on: KITcoKeynsham based family run business Kitco hired their first apprentice to join their small team as business booms! We spoke to company director Dave Hallett about his experience working with the West of England Apprenticeship Service to recruit their new apprentice Toby. |
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 #SharetoSupport: Ablecare HomesAblecare Homes have been providing residential care in Bristol for elderly people with dementia since the early 1980s. We spoke to Jayne Bowman, Group Manager, to find out how they have used apprenticeships to offer formalised training and development opportunities to their team. |  Spotlight On: Anthem PublishingLouise Punt, Head of HR at Anthem Publishing, spoke to the West of England Apprenticeship Service about the approach they are taking to building back their workforce after COVID-19. Anthem Publishing, based in Bath, helps people lead happier, healthier lives through their food, wellbeing and music brands. |  Meet Anthem Publishing's ApprenticesOur Experience of Joining Anthem Publishing as Apprentices. Ella and Molly both recently joined the organisation as apprentices. The West of England Apprenticeship Service spoke to them about why they decided to do an apprenticeship, what their role involves and what working life is like at Anthem Publishing. |
 The Waiting Game: Re-visiting ApprenticeshipsLocal Small business re-visits apprenticeships after hearing of exciting new developments in the programmes offer. The Waiting Game is Bristol-based, family run hospitality business led by brothers Ben and Tom Pickles. Since their inception in 2010, they have become the pre-eminent supplier of event staff in the South West. |  Changing Your Career: GCP ArchitectsHow I Changed Careers Through a Degree Level Apprenticeship. Our team at The West of England Apprenticeship Service spoke to Owen Faunt at GCP Architects about his experience of changing careers and how he used an apprenticeship to retrain in a new industry. |  GemSec LtdWe spoke to Gem Security Systems Ltd, a Bristol based SME who are using the Share to Support apprenticeship transfer scheme to recruit a customer service apprentice. Through the Share to Support scheme Gem Security Systems were connected with Bristol City Council who gifted £3500 to cover the costs of the apprentice’s training. |
 #SharetoSupport: Care FuturesWe spoke to Registered Manager, Claire Watts and Training Coordinator, Karen Wade to find out how Care Futures and their staff are benefiting from the Share to Support scheme and the generous apprenticeship funding gift from regional NHS trusts (BNSSG). |
As part of the Workforce for the Future Programme we offer a range of fully funded apprenticeship services for local SMEs including:
The West of England Apprenticeship Service: Fully funded, impartial advice and guidance for small businesses looking to engage with apprenticeships. Our team of apprenticeship specialists help businesses across the region to understand how they can embed apprenticeships into their business to recruit, retain and develop their team.
Are you looking to take on an apprentice, or keen to understand your options for recruiting an apprentice or upskilling your team? Get in touch with our team. Funded by the West of England Combined Authority, we offer a free and independent apprenticeship support service for small businesses in the West of England. We can also help you understand apprenticeship opportunities available for your sector and support you to access apprenticeship funding support through the Share to Support scheme. Get in touch to talk about how we can support you: apprenticeships@wtpn.org.uk
Share to Support – Funding Support for Businesses: Through the Share to Support scheme you can access funding support from large employers to cover the cost of your apprentice’s training (excluding wages). You could be getting fully funded support to train apprentices, either new or existing staff in your organisation.
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Workforce for the Future
The services above are coordinated by the Western Training Provider Network and funded by the West of England Combined Authority and European social fund, as part of the Workforce for the Future programme. Workforce for the Future is an £8m programme – co-funded by the West of England Combined Authority and the European Social Fund (ESF) – the free service works with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Through one to one support the programme is helping businesses to identify ways to stabilise, grow, adapt and understand the skills and training needs required to meet their business goals. Find out more information about Workforce for the Future here.
