We are delighted to be able to announce that the University has been shortlisted for “Exceptional HR”.
UHR aim to enable HR innovation and learning, and a build professional skills base: these awards give a great opportunity to do this, and highlight creativity and success. UHR aim to show the sector, and the HR professionals beyond HE, that our HR practitioners introduce cutting edge and impactful practices which enhance organisational culture and performance within UK universities.
The University of Exeter Apprenticeships Programme has been nominated for this years “Exceptional HR” category that looks for exceptional achievement by an HR team or individual.
Our citation reads:
Apprentices are employed in 11 of the University of Exeter’s colleges and professional services, across three campuses and two counties. Prior to the introduction of the Apprenticeship Levy in May 2017, the People Services department has been working on integrating them into the wider workforce.
Apprentices gain valuable on-the-job training and develop technical knowledge and transferable skills that will help them in their career. They also provide benefits for universities, who can draw on their enthusiasm to improve productivity, and provide staff with professional development opportunities.
Exeter has assigned mentors to apprentices, and given them access to staff benefits such as in-house training, library services, and the employee recognition scheme. A dedicated website, blog and social media have been set up, while competitive apprenticeship salary scales have been integrated into the University’s pay scales.
The number of apprentices at the University has increased over 200% from 13 in 2016/17 to 43 in 2017/18. They are employed across many different fields, from engineering to administration, IT, leadership, management and digital marketing. The new approach is more holistic, open to new and existing staff, and offers greater support to both apprentices and recruiting managers at all stages of the process.
See the UHR website for more details.