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Chesterfield care provider nominated for National Apprenticeship Award

Chesterfield care provider nominated for National Apprenticeship Award

Chesterfield-based care provider, Heathcotes Group, has been nominated as a finalist in the Learning Unlimited National Apprenticeship Awards 2018.

The company has been shortlisted in the category of ‘Large Employer’ at the ceremony taking place at Ponds Forge in Sheffield on 22 November. Learning Unlimited provides comprehensive recruitment, training and development programmes in conjunction with organisations nationwide, including Heathcotes Group and Chesterfield College. With 62 specialist services nationwide, Heathcotes provides person-centred residential accommodation for adults with learning disabilities, mental illness and associated challenging behaviours.

Heathcotes’ Training Manager, Nilly Blagg, said:

“We are delighted to be nominated for an award which is given to companies that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to developing apprentices. It’s a reflection of Heathcotes’ success in developing careers in care through a work-based learning formula which has achieved almost 600 apprenticeship starts over the past five years. Working closely with our learning partners, Chesterfield College, Heathcotes have welcomed hundreds of apprentice support workers at services nationwide, but we have also facilitated apprenticeships across all aspects of the company’s operations, including roles in our commissioning and recruitment teams at head office.

“Heathcotes have an excellent working relationship with Learning Unlimited and Chesterfield College. We have jointly introduced sector-based work academies throughout the regions. The college provides short courses, including Health & Social Care qualifications, alongside employability skills. Once they have completed the three-week programme, participants are guaranteed an interview. Many of them convert into support worker roles, complete their Care Certificate and get enrolled onto the apprenticeship qualification.”

Matt Beety, Work Based Manager at Learning Unlimited, commented on their work with Heathcotes:

“The relationship is mutually beneficial and we rely on each other for support with all the issues that will crop up for around 250 learners on programme at any time, on a range of apprenticeship and full-cost programmes. Our tutors have become part of the services and they show empathy and respect for the service users. The impact of this strong professional relationship is clear from our achievement rates for the learners from Heathcotes, as these are always consistently higher than the national averages and also higher than our internal averages for the rest of the health and social care employers we work with.”

The partnership has produced some exceptional results for Heathcotes with an 82% increase in apprenticeship starts between 2013/14 and 2017/18. Heathcotes achievement rates are well above national average: 74% for Health & Social Care roles, compared to 66.9% nationally, and 68.8% Care Leadership & Management, compared to 63.8% nationally. In Business & Administration Heathcotes’ rate is 100% compared to a 71% national average.


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