More than 200 people at Bromford Flagship are building their careers whilst earning a wage, and now it has won gold for making it happen.
The housing provider has been named a gold-level member of the 5% Club – an employee talent scheme that recognises the country’s top employers for giving people a proper route into skilled careers.
Of Bromford Flagship’s 3,670 staff working across East, Central and South West England, 206 (5.6%) are in earn and learn roles, doing some form of workplace-based training.
Nadine Tapp, the organisation’s Head of Group Academy, said: “This is a milestone we're proud to reach. We've invested a lot in learning and development opportunities here to shape the next generation of skilled professionals.
“This really emphasises our commitment to strengthening the services we provide to the customers and communities we serve, as well as promoting housing as a career of choice.”
Among the success stories are Alfie Davies, a Multi-Skilled Engineer working in central England, and Christopher Gearon, who is now a qualified Plasterer in the east of England after finishing his apprenticeship in April.
In October, both Alfie and Chris were finalists in the national YouthBuild awards, which recognises young people making a difference in their work, supported by their employers.
Bromford Flagship has 163 apprentices, three graduates, and 40 other staff on other training programmes.
Ricky Combo, Future Careers Lead at Bromford Flagship, said: “These results give us a really clear picture of where we stand, and can help us track how we're improving as well.
“And it celebrates the successes of our colleagues, apprentices, and graduates alike – the audit and accreditation represent a huge achievement for us and for our colleagues too.”
Gold status puts Bromford Flagship alongside more than 1,200 UK employers leading the way in workforce development, including several other major housing associations.
The 5% Club is an employer-led charity focused on workplace learning and skills development. Its members support over two million employees, with more than 121,000 in work-based training programmes.
Mark Cameron, the charity’s Chief Executive, said: “We are incredibly proud of the outstanding employers, like Bromford Flagship, who continue to raise the bar for workplace learning. Their dedication to creating rich and varied 'earn and learn' opportunities sets a remarkable example and an exceptional commitment to investing in people.”