A Newport-based government agency which has expanded its apprenticeship programme to include applicants from all age groups, in recognition that talent cuts across both younger and older workers, gave its support to National Apprenticeship Week.

The Intellectual Property Office, in Duffryn, Newport, who won Large Employer of the Year 2017 in the Apprenticeship Awards Cymru, is the official UK government body responsible for intellectual property rights including patents, designs, trademarks and copyright.

The IPO has offered apprenticeships across three sectors: IT; business administration; and finance since September 2014, and the programme is into its fourth year – or cohort – of apprentices.

Elaine Short, learning and development specialist at the IPO, developed and now runs the IPO’s apprenticeship programme.

She said: “The first three cohorts were for 18 to 24-year-olds as we wanted to help youngsters gain skills and experience to land good jobs, but this year we’ve opened it up – it’s now more about offering some really excellent experience in the work place to people of all ages.

“We’ve employed 50 apprentices to date, including the current cohort that started in September. The business administration apprenticeship lasts 18 months but for IT and Finance professionals it’s two years as they attend college as part of their programme.

“At the IPO, what we get from apprenticeships is that they bring freshness into the organisation and, especially with the younger apprentices, it means we keep up-to-date with new trends.

"As an organisation, they can end up teaching us things. And from our point of view, having apprentices gives us new talent and gives existing staff important management opportunities as they develop apprentices.”

Key UK government offices in Newport and the wider south east Wales area, employ more than 2,000 people. This includes the IPO, the Office for National Statistics, also located in Newport; and Companies House in Cardiff.

Since the apprenticeship programme started, 11 out of 32 Welsh apprentices have stayed on with the IPO permanently or as a contractor.

Elaine said: “The reason we got into apprenticeships is that we’re a large employer in this area and our HR director particularly wanted to support youngsters struggling to find work experience.

"Plus, as a civil service organisation, we are under wider recruitment restrictions as well as having a very low attrition rate. The apprenticeship programme allows us to offer opportunities we could not otherwise offer.

“Our apprenticeship programme is very popular – we advertise through Careers Wales and using our own website. We haven’t done any formal marketing campaign because we haven’t needed to. Our apprenticeships also get posted on the Civil Service job website, so anyone looking for roles in the civil service would pick that up.”

Meg Pascoe, 23, from Caerphilly, said: “I went to university just because all my friends were but I soon found out it just wasn’t for me. I saw this apprenticeship advertised and was eager to get into the world of work.

“I’m working towards my NVQ Level 3 in Business Admin, and I’m really enjoying it. I can work at my own pace, which means in some instances I can fast track through my qualification and do less when it’s busy at work or in my personal life. I’m looking forward to continuing with my apprenticeship and learning lots more.”

The Apprenticeship Programme in Wales is funded by the Welsh Government with support from the European Social Fund.

Minister for Welsh language and lifelong learning Eluned Morgan said: “National Apprenticeship Week is an important celebration of the fantastic opportunities apprenticeships present to businesses as well as individuals across Wales. Through apprenticeships, companies are helping to keep vital skills and industries alive and drive economic growth in Wales.

“The Intellectual Property Office is just one example of a company benefitting from the chance to train the next generation in the specialist skills it needs within its organisation. Apprenticeships are a key investment for employers and play an important role in improving the skills and nurturing the talent of Wales as a whole.

“For individuals, apprenticeships can be a route to an exciting and fulfilling future career. Although we celebrate National Apprenticeship Week every spring, the Welsh Government’s Apprenticeship Programme runs throughout the year to highlight the opportunities and support available for both apprentices and the employers who take them on.”

To find out how your business could benefit from recruiting an apprentice, visit Skills Gateway for Business at https://businesswales.gov.wales/skillsgateway/apprenticeships or call 03000 6 03000. Also visit www.facebook.com/apprenticeshipscymru or @apprenticewales on Twitter, and follow the story using the hashtag #AWWales.