A look back: Earn while you learn with an apprenticeship at Salix Homes

Apprenticeships offer on-the-job training across a wide range of industries. Since becoming independent from Salford city council in 2015, Salix Homes has hired 29 apprentices internally and 89 through its contractor partners as part of their contractual obligations.

The opportunities have ranged from hands on manual roles, to office based or customer focused positions.

Ella Scully began at Salix Homes as a Business Services apprentice, before being offered full-time employment with the housing association. Ella has also recently passed her Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) Level 5 qualification. Shortly after joining the business, she also won Apprentice of the Year in 2017.

Ella said: “I would definitely recommend an apprenticeship. For me, not having a degree hasn’t been a barrier into getting into the workplace. If anything, my apprenticeship has put me at an advantage.

“I know a lot of people who go to university who struggle to find a job and then don’t end up doing what they wanted to do.

“Apprenticeships offer lots of opportunities to gain further qualifications during the role a6nd there is also the possibility of a full-time employment offer at the end of the apprenticeship.”

Sue Sutton, executive director of operations at Salix Homes, said: “Providing jobs and a career path to local people was one of the key promises we made to our customers when we transferred away from the city council in 2015.

“Not only have we done this through our apprenticeship programme, we have also teamed up with public and private sector partners to create apprenticeship roles for Salford residents through the trailblazing Salford Skills for Business Apprenticeship fund.

“We also work alongside construction companies and fellow social housing providers to deliver Salford City College’s Build Salford traineeship. The programme supports young people into a career in construction, who may not have been able to enter straight into an apprenticeship. After learning new skills and growing in confidence many of these trainees have gone on to secure apprentices with our contractors.”

Click here to read theoriginal story Salix Homes backsNational Apprenticeship Week.