Aspire Housing

H O U S I N G A S S O C I AT I ON

Newcastle based Aspire Housing ranked as the 13th best apprenticeship employer in the UK.

A local housing association is celebrating being crowned 13th in the Government’s Top 100 apprenticeship employers ranking 2020.

Aspire Housing, a 9,000home housing association, has been recognised for its overall commitment to employing apprentices, creation of new apprenticeships, the diversity of apprentices, and the progression of apprentices onto further apprenticeships and employment.

The annual rankings showcase the nation's Top 100 employers that have done the most to provide successful apprenticeships over the previous 12 months.

Apprenticeship employers from many different industries and sectors appear in the Top 100 including the public sector, the third sector, hospitality, telecommunications and accountancy. The top employer was named as the British Army, followed in second place by HM Revenue and Customs and thirdly by the Royal Navy.

Sinéad Butters, Group Chief Executive at Aspire Housing, said: “We’re delighted to be named a Top 100 Apprenticeship Employer. As a group, one of our key goals is to support social regeneration within our communities, and our apprenticeship and employment support programmes are central to this strategy.

“We have set a target of having apprentices as 10% of our total workforce. We know the high social cost of longterm unemployment on both individuals and communities, and it is for this reason that we are committed to investing time, resources and effort in providing apprenticeships. We’re proud to be recognised

ON ‘A S P I R E S’ TO TO P 100

on this list.”

Aspire Housing’s apprenticeship programme is managed by its group training arm PM Training, Staffordshire’s largest independent provider of apprenticeships for young people.

Nicola Winn, Chair of PM Training, commented: “We provide a proven route to supporting people through their apprenticeship, into employment and beyond. It’s a fantastic achievement for Aspire to be recognised as the highest ranked housing provider on this list. Investing in young people in our communities, and supporting them into work, is vital – at this time, more than any other.”

PM Training works with around 1,600 employers across Staffordshire and nationally, providing help and support at every stage of the apprenticeship.

The new rankings have been developed by the National Apprenticeship Service in partnership with High Fliers Research, who independently assessed and compiled the new national leader board of top apprenticeship employers.

Peter Mucklow, Director, Apprenticeships, Education and Skills Funding Agency added: “During such a difficult year it is encouraging to see that apprenticeships continue to be critical to business performance and success.

“There are outstanding employers delivering apprenticeships across all sectors, and the Top 100 apprenticeship employer rankings rightly give recognition and thanks to those who have shown, and continue to show, huge commitment to apprenticeships.”

For more information about the Top 100 employers go to: www.gov.uk/government/ne ws/top-100-apprenticeshipemployers-announced

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