Andover based insurance company Be Wiser wins National Apprenticeship Award

COVENTRY, England, 29 January 2016 /PRNewswire Policy/ --

Be Wiser Insurance was revealed as the Rolls-Royce Newcomer Large Employer of the Year at an exclusive ceremony at London's Grosvenor House.

The awards, now in their twelfth year, are run by the National Apprenticeship Service and recognise excellence in two areas: businesses that grow their own talent with apprentices and apprentices who have made a significant contribution to their workplaces.

The company was chosen as the winner in recognition of its commitment to developing young people through apprenticeships.

Skills Minister Nick Boles said:

"Congratulations to Be Wiser Insurance for your success at the National Apprenticeship Awards. Apprenticeships truly are set to be one of the great success stories of the decade, and Be Wiser is a worthy ambassador.

"We are committed to 3 million apprenticeships by 2020 so that even more businesses can follow Be Wiser lead and reap the benefits of apprenticeships."

Employment Minister Priti Patel said:

"I would like to extend my warmest congratulations to Be Wiser Insurance for their fantastic achievement in being named Rolls-Royce Newcomer Large Employer of the Year.

"Apprenticeships offer a fantastic way for many young people of all backgrounds to earn as they learn while providing employers with the transferable skills needed to take their business from strength to strength. We currently have record-breaking levels of employment – and this is boosted by prospects like apprenticeships. I want to see this continue.

"By working closely with businesses and taking steps like rolling out our ‘Jobcentre Plus Support for Schools' programme to teach pupils about work experience, apprenticeships and traineeships, we are helping to create an even more flexible and resilient labour market for the future."

Since employing its first apprentice in September 2013, the company has come a long way and now has more than 250 apprentices. Be Wiser Insurance has always held a strong emphasis on staff development. Over the past three years this has focused particularly on developing young talent, making the decision to engage in apprenticeships a fairly obvious one.

On accepting the award, Crescens George, Director of Training and Development said:

"Apprenticeships have enriched and improved our business in many ways. Along with other telephone based sales companies, Be Wiser has previously seen a high turnover of staff. The key benefit of providing apprenticeships has been increased staff retention.

"Introducing apprenticeships to the business has enabled us to invest in our staff and turn jobs into careers. For many of our employees, apprenticeships scheme has given them an opportunity to reengage in education.

"As well as improvements around retention and the engagement of staff in education, we are pleased to report business growth. Since introducing apprenticeships we have seen increased productivity and our business and client base has continued to grow at an impressive rate. Having such a large number of apprentices is something not only to take pride in but also a responsibility, to provide high quality opportunities and support that mean our programmes are the best in the industry."

Nadhim Zahawi, the Prime Minister's Apprenticeship Adviser, who presented the awards, said:

"The Prime Minister has committed to 3 million apprenticeship starts by 2020 and I am excited to have a role in helping to deliver this goal, while pushing to revolutionise the skills of our workforce in Britain. Good quality apprenticeships create a fairer society by giving hard working young people the chance to aim for their dream job whilst playing their part in building a stronger economy for Britain.

"There are many examples of excellent apprenticeships and apprentices in England and these winners are the best of the best. I congratulate Be Wiser Insurance on their success. It's an honour to have been part of these awards; to play a small part in recognising the effort of so many great businesses and to reward apprentices for their hard work and dedication. All this year's winners should shout from the rooftops about what taking an apprenticeship has done for them or what hiring an apprentice has done for their business. I am determined that apprenticeships should be given the recognition they deserve, because they absolutely do deserve it."

The ceremony also saw Be Wiser Insurance named in the prestigious Top 100 Apprenticeship Employer list. The list, which is compiled annually by the National Apprenticeship Service, sponsored by City & Guilds, recognises excellence in businesses that employ apprentices.

David Campbell, Rolls-Royce Learning and Development Manager said:

"Apprentice programmes are an important national resource, helping businesses to create the next generation of successful employees and opening up a wealth of opportunity and training to new recruits. It is very pleasing to see that Be Wiser recognises the value that a well-structured and properly supported apprentice scheme can bring and that this has been rewarded with the Apprenticeship Newcomer Large Employer Award at this year's National Apprenticeship Awards.

"Rolls-Royce has trained apprentices for over a century, so we understand the enormous value they bring. We truly believe apprenticeships provide people with the strong foundation needed for a successful career and this is proved by the fact that over a fifth of today's Rolls-Royce senior management started their careers in our apprenticeship programme. The National Apprenticeship Awards play a significant role in promoting and recognising the achievements of companies that are investing in apprenticeships."

To view the full list of award winners and finalists or for more information about apprenticeships, search on GOV.UK.

About the National Apprenticeship Awards

The National Apprenticeship Service challenged the nation's top apprenticeship employers and apprentices to come forward and show how apprenticeships have made a real difference to them. Now in their twelfth year, the National Apprenticeship Awards are an opportunity to highlight the many success stories and the benefits of Apprenticeships.

There are six employer categories ranging from Small to Macro, and two newcomer categories – large and SME. Categories are open to employers of all sectors.

For the fifth year running the very best employer category entries will have the additional bonus of featuring in the prestigious annual Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers list.

There are four apprentice categories, which are: intermediate, advanced and higher apprentice of the year, and the hotly contended apprenticeship champion of the year.

The National Apprenticeship Service

The National Apprenticeship Service supports the delivery of apprenticeships and traineeships in England. It offers free impartial advice and support to employers looking to recruit for the first time or expand their programme. This includes simplifying the process of recruiting an apprentice or trainee through the support of employer focused teams and Find an apprenticeship and Find a traineeship recruitment sites on GOV.UK where employers can advertise their vacancies and potential apprentices or trainees can apply.

Call 08000 150 600 or search for apprenticeships on GOV.UK to find out more.

SOURCE UK Skills Funding Agency