The latest figures released by the Data Service, an independently managed organisation established and funded by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and supported by the Skills Funding Agency, have shown Spirit Pub Company’s apprenticeship programme continues to achieve excellent results, following last year’s Good Ofsted grading.
27% higher than average
Spirit’s results are 27% higher than the national average for apprentices completing and passing their training by the agreed deadline, with overall success rates for the programme 14% above the national average.
Spirit currently has over 550 apprentices either working towards or already graduated from level 2 and level 3 qualifications and has been working in partnership with Charnwood Training Group for nearly three years to deliver the impressive results.
89% retention rates
The apprenticeship programme has demonstrated its value within Spirit, with retention rates of 89% and progression within the business at 49%. The aim is to have an apprentice in every one of its 791 managed pubs, in both operational and managerial positions.
Spirit’s national qualifications manager Jo Bradford said:
“As the number of apprentices we have in the business increases, we will obviously need to work hard to maintain our success rates for 12/13, but we have developed strong processes and relations so the foundations are great.”
Charnwood managing partner Jeremy Scorer added:
“When considering apprenticeships within their businesses, employers need to understand the total business commitment, at all levels, necessary to ensure the programme’s success. It goes beyond the value to each learner to the impact that such a programme has on business culture and how the company is perceived as an employer of choice.
“These success rates are true testament to the fact that Spirit has embraced this commitment to make the apprenticeship programme a complete triumph.”
The full figures relate to the Skills Funding Agency contract year of August 2011 – to July 2012:
| Success Rates | Spirit | National for all Providers | Variance |
| Timely Success | 83% | 56.1% | +26.9% |
| Success | 88% | 73.8% | +14.1% |