In this episode of Take Five, Chris Shirley, 5% Club Fellow, is joined by Alistair McBride, Nuclear Services Director at G4S, to explore one of the toughest workforce challenges an employer can face: building a skilled workforce in places where none previously existed.

Alistair describes what it takes to staff the UK’s nuclear new build sites at Hinckley Point C and Sizewell C. These sites are remote, rural and often cut off by the sea on one side, with few local people holding the skills G4S needs. Rather than treating that as a reason to look elsewhere, G4S set out to find, train and develop local people, working with local partners to do so.

A central theme is that employers often need to fix their own processes before looking at candidates. G4S cut its onboarding time from around three months to four or five weeks for well-prepared candidates. It funds training before firm job offers are made. It has also paid for driving lessons and tests for talented people who couldn’t otherwise take up a role. Alistair shares a powerful story of a homeless candidate introduced through the charity Emmaus, whose life changed once the barriers in front of him were removed, including some inside G4S’s own systems.

The conversation also shows what partnership can look like when it goes beyond a contract. Alistair explains how G4S works with People Plus, whose team is embedded in the Sizewell security team, and how local charities helped G4S understand real community need. He also talks about the “soft landing” created for veterans, who share a common way of thinking with the wider workforce.

Apprenticeships sit at the heart of G4S’s approach. Alistair explains how they are used to build the mid-management roles that exist only in this kind of environment, with many people completing at least two apprenticeships as they progress. He reports retention of around 99%, and explains how G4S donates £100,000 of unspent apprenticeship levy each year to organisations in the East of England that cannot generate their own. Anyone interested is encouraged to get in touch about six months ahead of the July round.

Finally, Alistair looks at why long-term thinking matters. Nuclear projects span generations, and skills fade quickly if the work stops. His message to any employer struggling to recruit is simple: find the barriers, keep removing them, and never say no to a challenge.

In this episode of Take Five, Lindsay Conroy, Director of Policy & Strategic Engagement at The 5% Club, is joined by Phil Smith CBE, Chair of Skills England, and Maya Patel, Account Management Executive at AQA, for an open and thought-provoking conversation about Maya’s apprenticeship journey and what employers can learn from it.

Maya reflects on leaving education following the disruption of Covid, choosing an apprenticeship rather than university, and making the significant decision to relocate to Manchester to begin her career with AQA.

What follows is not a perfectly straight career path – and that is precisely what makes her story so valuable.

Maya speaks candidly about initially choosing an area of work that she came to realise was not right for her, the isolation that can come with entering the workplace at a young age, and the importance of having managers and colleagues who were prepared to listen, recognise her strengths and help her explore different opportunities.

That support enabled Maya to complete her Level 3 apprenticeship with a distinction and move towards project management and, subsequently, a developing career within AQA.

The conversation explores a much broader question about apprenticeships: are they simply about gaining a qualification, or can they provide young people with something equally important – an opportunity to understand the workplace, develop confidence, discover their strengths and begin working out where they want their career to take them?

Maya also offers a fascinating perspective on how young people discover apprenticeships today. Social media and apprentice influencers have helped raise awareness, but the reality of an apprenticeship can be rather different from the simple promise of “earn while you learn”. Apprenticeships require commitment and hard work, while finding and navigating the right opportunity can itself be difficult.

For employers, one message comes through particularly strongly: good management matters. Taking time to understand an apprentice as an individual, recognising when they are struggling or thriving, providing opportunities to explore different areas of the organisation and helping them build networks can fundamentally change their experience.

Maya also highlights the importance of apprentice communities and external networks. Unlike university, an apprenticeship does not automatically provide a ready-made peer group, and creating opportunities for apprentices to meet others going through similar experiences can be enormously valuable.

Above all, this is a conversation about potential rather than perfection. Young people entering the workplace will not arrive knowing everything, and nor should they be expected to. Given support, space to learn and opportunities to explore, apprentices can bring enormous energy, curiosity and ambition into an organisation.

As Maya puts it, employers may need to invest time in developing an apprentice – but with the right mentoring and support, an apprentice can become the future of your company.

In this episode of Take Five, Lindsay Conroy, Director of Policy & Strategic Engagement at The 5% Club, is joined by Richard Gordon, SHEQ Director at AD Construction, and Phil Smith CBE, Chair of Skills England, for a practical and inspiring discussion about the value apprenticeships can bring to employers of every size.

Richard shares his own journey from starting work as a painter and decorator apprentice more than four decades ago to becoming a Board Director – and explains why that experience continues to shape AD Construction’s approach to developing its people today.

With around 176 employees, AD Construction demonstrates that a smaller employer can make apprenticeships an integral part of its workforce strategy. Richard describes how apprentices and trainees are working and learning across the organisation, from traditional trades through to quantity surveying, IT, health and safety and business support – with many progressing into management and senior leadership roles.

The conversation explores what makes that approach work: planning for future skills needs, building strong relationships with colleges, schools, Jobcentre Plus and other organisations, investing in mentoring, providing clear career pathways and maintaining regular engagement with apprentices throughout their programme.

Richard also discusses the importance of reaching young people who may not otherwise consider careers in construction, including those not in education, employment or training, and how meaningful work experience can open their eyes to the breadth of opportunities available.

There is also recognition of the practical barriers employers and young people face – from transport and access to dispersed workplaces to the challenge of navigating the skills system – and the importance of collaboration and employer networks in overcoming them.

Above all, this episode is a compelling employer story about growing your own talent, creating loyalty, supporting succession and bringing new energy into a business.

Richard’s advice to employers considering apprenticeships is refreshingly straightforward: start small, learn from others, use the support available – and don’t be afraid to ask questions.

In this Episode, Lindsay Conroy and Phil Smith are joined by Sharon Blyfield OBE (Coca-Cola Europacific Partners) and Jon Hornagold (Amey) to discuss how apprenticeships have become a core element of long-term workforce planning rather than simply a recruitment initiative. Drawing on the experience of two major employers, the discussion demonstrates how apprenticeships help address future skills shortages, improve succession planning, and build organisational resilience.

Both organisations emphasise that successful programmes are driven by strategic planning, strong leadership support and investment in line managers and apprentice communities. They highlight consistently high retention rates, clear progression into permanent and senior roles, and the positive impact apprentices have on culture, innovation, and productivity.

The conversation also explores the importance of widening access through schools, community organisations and partnerships that encourage applications from underrepresented groups. Engaging parents and showcasing successful apprentices as ambassadors are identified as effective ways of changing perceptions of apprenticeship careers.

A key message is that employers do not need to develop programmes in isolation. Collaboration through networks such as The 5% Club enables organisations to share good practice and learn from each other's experience.

Overall, the episode reinforces that apprenticeships represent a long-term investment in business capability, not simply an entry route for young people.

In this episode of Take Five, Lindsay Conroy (Director of Policy & Strategic Engagement) is joined by Phil Smith, Chair of Skills England, to explore the key themes emerging from the recently published Skills England Annual Report and what they mean for employers, learners and the future of the UK's skills system.

The discussion covers the growing challenge of supporting young people into employment, the need to better recognise and articulate transferable skills, and how a more joined-up approach across education, employment and government can improve outcomes. Phil also shares his perspective on place-based skills planning, engaging SMEs, simplifying access to skills support through technology and AI, and ensuring national employers can navigate an increasingly devolved skills landscape.

The episode concludes by examining how employers can play a greater role in addressing skills shortages through workforce planning, early talent investment, and collaboration, alongside government support where it is most needed. Throughout the conversation, Phil reinforces the importance of employer engagement, trusted networks, and practical action to build a stronger, more responsive skills system.

Further information on the Skills England Annual Report can be found here.

Welcome to the The 5% Club Podcast: Take Five – where we bring you insight, inspiration and innovation from employers, stakeholders, policy makers and contributors, all in 5% of your working day.

This episode is delivered in collaboration with the Youth Futures Foundation and forms part of a mini-series supporting the Make It An Apprenticeship Campaign.

Bagnalls discuss how employers can use apprenticeships to create opportunities for people as they enter the workforce - what if we were able to use apprenticeships to create more entry levels roles for people?

Welcome to the The 5% Club Podcast: Take Five – where we bring you insight, inspiration and innovation from employers, stakeholders, policy makers and contributors, all in 5% of your working day.

This episode is delivered in collaboration with the Youth Futures Foundation and forms part of a mini-series supporting the Make It An Apprenticeship Campaign.

Today Chris Shirley, Fellow of The 5% Club, is in conversation with Stephen Wilde, Managing Director of Southbourne Rubber, who shares how apprentices have been such a vital part of his business strategy.

In this episode of Take Five, Phil Smith, Chair of Skills England, joins us to discuss the recent apprenticeship assessment reforms and what they mean for employers across sectors.

We explore the rationale behind the changes, how the reforms aim to create a more streamlined and responsive system, and the role employers are playing in shaping assessment approaches that better reflect workplace realities. The discussion focuses on how these changes support productivity, workforce development and the delivery of high-quality apprenticeship experiences.

This episode provides clarity on the direction of reform and reassurance for employers navigating changes to the apprenticeship system.

Further detail on the apprenticeship assessment reforms can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apprenticeship-funding-rules-2025-to-2026/changes-to-apprenticeship-assessment-2025-to-2026

Employers who wish to contribute to Skills England’s Expert Groups can do so through relevant sector or membership bodies such as The 5% Club, or by contacting Skills England directly at: expertnetwork.skillsengland@education.gov.uk