Championing apprentices beyond National Apprenticeship Week

National Apprenticeship Week (NAW) is always a brilliant opportunity to shine a light on the plethora of talent entering the UK workforce. There are awards, social media takeovers, and plenty of success stories. But at Penshaw View, we believe that if we only talk about apprenticeships when there’s a designated week for it, we’re doing a disservice to the businesses we support. 

For a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME), an apprenticeship is an operational decision and a long-term investment in the future of their company. That’s why, during National Apprenticeship Week, we didn’t just join the celebration; we joined a serious conversation about how to make the system work better for the people on the ground. 

Real talk at the Darlington Roundtable 

During the week, we were invited to a small, closed-door roundtable hosted by the North East Apprenticeship Ambassador Network at Handelsbanken in Darlington. 

This was an honest, unfiltered discussion led by Anthony Impey, the National Chair of the Apprenticeship Ambassador Network and a member of the Skills England board. For regional employers and partners like us, this was a direct line to the national skills conversation. A key pointer in the discussions was how to increase SME involvement in apprenticeships. 

The barriers facing apprentices & employers  

At Penshaw View, we work daily across training, recruitment, and HR support. We see the hurdles SMEs face before they even hire their first apprentice. The roundtable echoed exactly what we hear from our clients: 

• Navigating the Digital Apprenticeship Service and understanding levy transfers or co-investment is daunting for business owners. 

• Small teams fear compliance paperwork and the admin burden, which often outweighs the desire to bring in new talent. 
• With much of the process existing online, many SMEs feel the need for a professional to guide them through the process in-person. 

“Apprenticeships shouldn’t peak for one week. To be successful, they have to work for a business all year round. That’s what Penshaw View strives to achieve for our clients.” – Chris Breckon, Director, Penshaw View 

Bridging the gap between businesses & vocational training 

Our role at the Darlington roundtable was to represent the employer perspective. We shared the day-to-day challenges of delivery and the reality of funding gaps. It’s vital that organisations like Skills England hear these insights so that future policy is practical and functional for SMEs across the North East. 
 

A partnership, not just a provider

At Penshaw View, we nurture business relationships, acting as a long-term partner as well as a training partner. Whether it’s navigating HR complexities, managing recruitment, or tackling the admin of taking on an apprentice, we are there to shoulder the burden so that the SME can focus on growing their business.
 

Looking ahead

We’ll continue to celebrate the wins of National Apprenticeship Week, but our focus remains on the other 51 weeks of the year. We are committed to ensuring the voices of North East SMEs are heard at a national level and that the barriers to entry are dismantled. 

If you’re an SME looking to explore apprenticeships but are overwhelmed by the onboarding process, we’re here to help you make it work, all year round. Contact us today for a consultation.