EY HELPING TO DEVELOP YOUNG NORTH EAST TALENT

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Eighteen-year-old Ryan Abbott from Houghton-le-Spring is an A* apprentice at EY, based in the firm’s Newcastle office. He is studying for a Digital and Technology Solutions degree, funded by EY and is one of the first cohort in Newcastle to be going through this route at the firm. This degree allows Ryan to gain hands on work experience, whilst learning.

He said: “My best subjects at college were definitely Maths and Computer Science and because of this I’ve always wanted to go down the computing or cyber route. I first found out about EY when a past student returned to Durham 6th Form College to tell us about their experience there. What they said made me keen to explore the apprenticeship role. I wanted to start working to gain hands on experience and work with likeminded people, to make a difference, which I knew I wouldn’t be able to get as easily at university.

“I’m currently working on third party risk management engagement. This involves looking at our clients’ suppliers and reviewing the cyber security controls they have in place to protect client data. My day-to-day responsibilities include completing supplier assessments, hosting calls and working collaboratively with others in my team.”

“As an apprentice, I spend 20% of my time at university, attending lectures and seminars as well as completing assignments. The balance is great and allows me to complete university assignments during my working hours.

“The best part of working at EY is definitely the people. Everyone is so friendly and approachable, meaning I can chat to them about anything. At EY we can really depend on others to help out with questions, managing our workload and general technical queries. The project leaders and managers are always on hand to answer any in depth questions and provide support wherever needed.”

Ryan was honest about the differences he experienced working for the firm compared to what he expected. One of those was the responsibility given to individuals, which was surprising.

“It’s great to be so trusted at EY. I expected to be at work from 9am – 5pm in a suit every day, but the company has a longstanding culture of flexible working.  We embrace hybrid working, meaning a mix of office working and home working, some days at home and some in the office, with flexible hours which suit you. In addition, at EY there is a dress for your day policy, which means we are able to wear something that suits our day, whether that is more formal for client meetings or more relaxed for home working.”

EY takes pride in developing talent and encouraging long-standing careers.  This is also something that appealed to Ryan.

“I think I would like to spend some time working abroad while I’m still young. So hopefully I can branch out either within EY or outside to develop the international side of me.”

EY’s Newcastle office currently supports 30 apprentices in the North East and has opened its application process for the next intake of graduates this September. 

Chamber congratulates region’s students on results

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Niamh Corcoran, policy adviser, North East England Chamber of Commerce said: “A huge congratulations to everyone collecting their results today, after what has been a tremendously difficult year. The resilience and hard work of students in times of tough challenges is remarkable. 

Many students will now look towards higher education, further education, apprenticeships or other vocational options. While others will be keen to enter the workplace and begin their careers. Whatever option they choose, students should remember that there are a variety of paths which will lead them to success. Our members are working with schools and colleges to help ensure they understand the large range of careers available to them and the variety of technical and vocational, as well as academic routes available which can help them get there. 

It is excellent to see so many students in the North East achieving outstanding results. It is vital for future business success that employers have access to the highly skilled workforce they need to grow. 

Demystifying Degree Apprenticeships

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Degree apprenticeships can offer the best of both worlds for employers and employees looking to upskill – combining university study and practical workplace learning.   

But despite the huge success of degree apprenticeships, many companies don’t consider the option for their business, often because they just don’t know enough about the practicalities involved or the benefits an apprenticeship can offer. In addition, there remain some outdated misconceptions associated with apprenticeships, which businesses can find off-putting.  

Here Joe Hedley, Assistant Director of Sales and Business Development at Northumbria University, explains the key facts and benefits for employers, as well as the opportunities available for businesses to partner with Northumbria and upskill their team… 

“Degree apprenticeships provide employees with practical and relevant skills and knowledge that can be applied immediately in the workplace, meaning businesses can reap the benefits and make the most of new skills and learning almost instantaneously.  

“A degree apprentice studies part-time, alongside continued work within their organisation, which helps maintain continuity and capacity, and as well as gaining subject-specific knowledge, they develop a range of core skills too, including project management, problem solving and leadership. 

“There are a huge range of benefits associated with investing in existing employees’ knowledge and skills through degree apprenticeships… 

  • It can equip staff to progress to more senior roles – improving retention rates and avoiding unnecessary recruitment 
  • It can help attract new talent; ambitious people want to work for organisations that invest in their employees’  
  • In many cases, employees will be more motivated and committed for the long-term – having been supported to develop their skills over several years. 
  • And ultimately, it will deliver well-trained, highly skilled employees who add value – both directly and through their ability to coach, mentor and train other team members. 

“Importantly, degree apprenticeships are suitable for all sizes of organisations, from small businesses to multinational corporations and they can be affordable at either end of this spectrum. They can be funded by your apprenticeship levy account if you have an annual pay bill of £3m+ or heavily subsidised (up to 95% of the cost) by the Government if your annual pay bill is less than £3m. It’s undoubtedly an inexpensive way to attract and retain talented employees, develop your workforce, fill skills gaps and improve your company’s performance. 

“Here at Northumbria, we offer 24 different degree apprenticeships across diverse sectors, from architecture, construction and engineering to digital, tech and creative, with a range of new apprenticeships being added to the portfolio in 2021. In addition to these industry-specific courses, the Leadership and Management degree apprenticeship is delivered by our award-winning business school and cover many different sectors 

“One of the biggest misconceptions associated with an apprenticeship of any kind is that it’s only suitable for new starters or young people, which is simply not the case. Northumbria’s degree apprentices have ranged from new recruits through to senior managers and long-serving staff and professionals who are looking for a change in career. 

“We have incredibly strong relationships with business and industry and whilst we already offer a significant choice of courses, we continue to develop new and tailored degree apprenticeships that directly meet the needs of a business, sector or workforce. If our portfolio doesn’t offer an option that’s relevant to your organisation, I’d encourage you to get in touch.” 

To find out more about degree apprenticeships, visit https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/degreeapprenticeships 

or email [email protected] 

To read more about the many ways that Northumbria works with businesses regionally and nationally to support their growth and success – from workforce development through to research collaborations – you can download and view a new B2B supplement here: www.northumbria.ac.uk/partner-of-choice