Great Annual Savings Group (GAS) has been named as a finalist in the National Apprenticeship Awards, where the best schemes in the country will be announced in January 2017.
The Group was thrilled to win the ‘Best Newcomer SME’ category for the North East and Humberside on Thursday 6 October, which resulted in automatic entry into the national judging stage.
The central panel of judges have now invited GAS to Grosvenor House, London, on Friday 20 January 2017, where the national winners will be confirmed.
The National Apprenticeship Awards celebrate the best Apprentice Schemes in the UK. GAS was advised to enter by partner Talent Training UK after a successful first 12 months and a second intake of young Apprentices in October.
The Group now employs 12 Apprentices – a significant proportion of its work force. Group HR Director Judith Bennison has signalled the pride GAS staff have in the scheme.
She said: “We’re thrilled to have been recognised by the National Apprenticeship Awards in an area we feel so passionately about at Great Annual Savings Group.
“To win the regional award for our achievements in the first year of our scheme was a great result for the Group. Then, being confirmed as a national finalist has rubber stamped our confidence in the scheme we have set up, which we believe to be a first-class opportunity for young people to develop a career.
“Our commitment to generating apprenticeships and jobs in the North East will continue as the business grows further and we’re proud to be representing the region in the national finals of the awards in 2017.”
The GAS Apprenticeship Scheme is now into its second year and welcomed the second cohort of Apprentices in October, who are training in various fields, including Customer Experience, Marketing and eCommerce and Energy Management.
Find out more about our award-winning Apprenticeship Scheme.