Y Prentis is the first apprenticeship company in Wales to be awarded the We invest in people apprentices accreditation, by Investors in People, following their successful inclusion in their pilot phase which was rolled out in November 2020.

They have also been awarded Platinum status, which is the highest accolade available and were congratulated by IiP on their “significant achievement especially during the challenges Covid-19 has placed on the construction sector”. The IiP report highlighted that Y Prentis apprentices say “that Y Prentis is an excellent provider of apprenticeships”, that an “amazing 100% of apprentices agreeing that the organisation considered their wellbeing over the course of [their] apprenticeship,” and that the “apprentices all have a voice and [Y Prentis] listen to them”.

Now, more than ever before, Covid-19 has highlighted the importance of mental health and wellbeing in the workplace. Y Prentis holds apprentices mental health and well-being as top priority. This is emphasised in the IiP report which states that: “Y Prentis have recognised that some apprentices have relative inexperience in the workplace and may be particularly vulnerable to anxiety or struggle to cope with the transition into work. They have put systems in place which can help staff recognise this and offer suitable support to those who need it. A Safeguarding Policy has been developed by Y Prentis which is covered in the induction and apprentice handbook”. According to the IiP report most “apprentices felt that the key to their success was support of their Line Manger and mentor”, with one apprentice specifically stating: “Since being with Y Prentis I went through some hard times and the support I got from Y Prentis was amazing”. Lewis Harris, one of the apprentices that participated in the survey, thanked Y Prentis for all the support they are giving him, adding that “it didn’t come as a surprise at all that Y Prentis achieved Platinum. It is well deserved as Y Prentis always go above and beyond and there is always someone there whenever I need support. I love working for Y Prentis”.

Now Y Prentis have been confirmed as a We invest in apprentices organisation, it demonstrates they are committed to their apprentices and developing them for the benefit of the individual and the organisation. There are clear channels of communication and support for each apprentice.

The scheme’s programme manager, Darryl Williams, said:

“I would like to thank my team and our apprentices for their hard work and support in Y Prentis achieving this fantastic accolade, along with IiP for their support throughout the assessment process. This is testimony to our hard work and the support we give our apprentices. It also underlines that the practices, policies and procedures we have developed over the last few years are of the highest quality and ensure our apprentices receive the best training experience throughout their employment with us”.

Y Prentis Director, Adrian Huckin, thanked the team on behalf of the board for their hard work, and added:

“We are delighted to have been awarded Platinum Level. Being acknowledged as an excellent provider of construction apprenticeships across South East Wales is a fantastic achievement. This holds particular resonance for Y Prentis given we are the first employer in Wales to achieve the Award. The support we give our apprentices, our very positive relationships we have with our partners, clients and training providers and the high-quality services we provide – these were highlighted by Investors in People as things we should be rightly proud of and provide the foundation for our ambitious 2021/2022 Apprenticeship Programme”.

The survey found that 93% of apprentices think their apprenticeship is of high quality and that 90% have had a positive experience, with a further 83% saying they would recommend their apprenticeship to people considering a similar path.