TUI is the UK’s leading travel company, employing 11,000 people including 6,000 in their head office. They have been running apprenticeship programmes with Sheffield Hallam University for around six years, both to recruit new staff and to upskill their existing employees.

We spoke to TUI’s Emerging Talent Demand and Portfolio Manager Rebecca Barton about how apprenticeships are benefiting their business.

How do you use apprenticeships at TUI?

“We use apprenticeships for both recruitment and upskilling. We have a higher degree apprenticeship programme in the areas of commercial, engineering and chartered management, recruiting 50 to 60 new apprentices a year.

“We also offer over 40 different apprenticeships to our existing staff in areas including business admin, customer service, AI, data analytics, marketing and project management.”

Why do you find apprenticeships useful?

“You get a very high calibre of individual. Apprentices have a different mindset to standard graduate recruits. They bring an enthusiasm, they're very engaged and they have fantastic ideas. Most of our apprentices are people who want a career change, so they’re very dedicated and engaged with the programme.

“It also breeds loyalty and increases retention. In the five years I’ve been in this job, almost all of our apprentices have stayed with TUI after finishing the programme. All our apprentice positions are permanent, and people tend to stay with TUI long after they graduate.”

What do apprenticeships bring to your business?

“They bring fresh ideas and new ways of working. Most of our apprentices rotate around a number of roles, allowing them to bring a different mindset to different parts of the business. It gives them a unique insight into the overall business and they come up with great ideas.

“For existing colleagues, apprenticeships give them an opportunity to gain a degree when they may not have been able to afford to study by the traditional route. It also brings value to TUI as we can tailor the programmes to develop the skills we need in the organisation.”

What successes have your degree apprentices helped your business achieve?

“They have helped us upskill different business areas. Some higher degree apprentices have been heavily involved with our mobile app, using their expertise in technology to make it more user-friendly for our customers.

“We often find that the apprenticeships teach skills we weren’t aware we needed. In our finance teams we recently introduced the Data Analyst apprenticeship and we’ve seen a huge saving in time. Where our employees previously spent hours producing reports, they now have the analytical and Excel skills to produce them a lot quicker. It’s so much more efficient.”

How do apprenticeships help break down the barriers to opportunity?

“They offer an alternative to the traditional route. College and school is very institutional, with a lot of rules to follow. If you struggle with that type of environment, you’ll find it harder to succeed. With an apprenticeship you can put into practice what you're learning.

“Similarly, if you can’t afford to go to university — if your family isn't in a position to support you financially — a higher degree apprenticeship is a fantastic way to gain a degree while earning a salary.”

How do your apprenticeships help grow the UK economy?

“Ultimately apprenticeships allow us to upskill our people as a country. It’s about investing in people and their careers, and future-proofing the economy.

“At TUI we have a £4 million budget for the apprenticeship levy, and we have started sharing it with small and medium-sized businesses around the country. We work with local and regional government to identify small employers who want to recruit apprentices to meet a business need. We’ve spent £750,000 on the scheme and helped a variety of SMEs, from nurseries to veterinary practices.”

Would you recommend apprenticeships at Sheffield Hallam to other businesses?

“Yes, absolutely. You get great new recruits for your business. And the team at Sheffield Hallam are very accommodating. They are quick to act on any concerns and they take on our suggestions. We have a really good working relationship.”