#LDNis10

When I sat down at the tiny desk in the corner of my bedroom, late in the evening on 19th of November 2010, I really had no idea what I was getting myself into. I had watched the 2008 financial crisis unfold and the UK was in the depths of the resulting recession. Millions of young people had no work, and no hope of finding work. 

So, I wrote a business plan. The idea was simple – to start a company that bridged the gap between young people and employers. Apprenticeships would be the tool for making this happen and LDN Apprenticeships was the result. 

Ten years later, LDN Apprenticeships is so much more than just an idea or a business plan. It’s a living and breathing thing which is brought to life by so many incredible people, stories and achievements. And that, really, is what this post is all about. Without the people who have been a part of our journey, LDN Apprenticeships would not be the fantastic company that it is today. 

Since 2010, we have helped thousands of young people to take their first career steps.  

I think of some of the apprentices who joined our programme in the early days. Today, as part of our alumni, I see those people managing whole teams, working as qualified and experienced accountants, solutions engineers, marketers and software developers. They are living testament to the power that apprenticeships have to open doors and give young people the opportunity to start a rewarding career that secures their future. 

I’m also proud that our apprentices are such a diverse group. Over the last ten years, 99% of our apprentices have been under the age of 24. Over half (51.29%, to be exact) of our apprentices have been from black and minority ethnic backgrounds, approximately a quarter received free school meals, many have had learning difficulties and 45% are girls (for a provider that delivers largely technology apprenticeships, that’s a very high number).  

Our apprentices really do come from all walks of life. What they are united by is their desire to be successful, to learn and to develop themselves. In a world that is so divided, it is a huge privilege to work with such a diverse group and to see that group being supported and nurtured by our team and the amazing employers that we work with. 

On the subject of employers. None of what we do would be possible without the employers and particularly, the line managers, who support our apprentices every day. These are the people who are passing their industry expertise, experience and knowledge on to the next generation. That's not an easy thing to do – it takes time, care and attention. Thankfully, I know that the reward of seeing an apprentice develop over the course of a year is one that many managers just cannot get enough of.  

Obviously, there is one other group of people that LDN Apprenticeships relies on to survive. Our people are absolutely incredible. From our Skills Coaches, to our own apprentices and everyone in between. Our Leadership team recently did an exercise to define the most important values that our people demonstrate every day, and we came up with this list... 

Our people are:

- Humbly confident

- Helpful and approachable

- Positive with a can do attitude

- Passionate and dedicated

- Resourceful and they get things done

- Curious and take initiative

Who would not want to work with a bunch of people who show these values in their work every day? I feel humbled and very lucky to have such an awesome team around me. To each of you, I would like to say a huge thank you for all of your hard work, passion and positivity. Especially in a year where we have had to navigate such troubled waters. 

This would be a very long blog post if I thanked everyone who deserved a thank you over the last 10 years. Whether you are a reading this as an employer who takes on several LDN Apprentices a year, or as a candidate who has just applied for one of our brilliant apprenticeship opportunities, or as anyone else who has been a part of our story, you’ve all played a part in making LDN Apprenticeships what it is today.  

Thank you to each and every one of you.  

Here’s to 10 more years.