Horbury Academy
At Horbury Group we have a vibrant apprenticeship scheme that we call “Horbury Academy”. We are committed to developing young men and women into skilled tradespeople, technicians, professionals and managers, which will ensure the sustainability of our business in the long term.
Size of the Scheme
The scheme recruits around 20 trade apprentices and 10 technical, professional and management apprentices each year. The overall aim is to bring 250 qualified staff into our business over 10 years. At the end of 2018, 57 of our employees were active learners at various levels.
Our Partner
In 2017 Horbury formed a strategic partnership with The Sheffield College (TSC). TSC continues to manage the delivery of Horbury Academy. TSC fulfil our apprentice requirements throughout the UK by leveraging their links with other colleges.
Our Management
Horbury Academy is managed by dedicated managers who make regular visits to sites to ensure apprentices are progressing in line with their training plans and are receiving good support.
Regular appraisals are carried out which incorporate feedback from training partners. We meet with TSC monthly to ensure that Horbury Academy is meeting its objectives.
The Qualifications
Our desire is for each apprentice to complete their training and achieve recognised qualifications. In the case of tradespeople this will be an NVQ level 2 and in the case of technical, professional and management a qualification at level 3 to 6.
Our Success
2016: One of our drylining apprentices, Jack Syddall, was awarded the Gold Medal at the Apprentice National Skills Build Final.
2017: 4 apprentices completed their apprenticeship and secured their NVQ level 2.
Ashley Walker (drylining apprentice) reached the final of the Screwfix Trades Apprentice of the Year which was held at Google Headquarters in London.
2018: Three apprentices completed their apprenticeship and NVQ level 2 qualification.
2019: 11 Apprentices completed their Apprenticeship. This ranged through various roles including Joinery, Plastering, Drylining Quantity Surveying and Floorlaying etc. In 2019 we also enrolled 18 new Apprentices onto Apprenticeships throughout the Group.
2020: 22 Apprentices completed their training, including our first intake of Apprentice Site Supervisors who have proved to be a great success to the business for our first cohort!
2021: 16 Apprentices completed their Apprenticeships throughout this year, with some then progressing on to the next level of their training. We also recruited an additional 8 Apprentices in 2021.
2022: 9 Apprentices completed their Apprenticeships in 2022 and 8 Apprentices joined the Group on Degree Apprenticeips/Trade Apprenticeship/Technical Apprenticeships.
2023: 5 Apprentices completed their training in this year and some Leaners have now progressed on to their Degree Apprenticeships. 12 Leaners have also enrolled onto Apprenticeships throughout the Group in this year.
We are proud of the success of all our Leaners throughout the Company and continue to invest in Apprenticeships Group-wide to develop both new and existing staff.