Berkeley Capital strikes gold for “high quality” apprenticeship scheme

Berkeley Homes Capital has been awarded Gold Accreditation by Investors in People for its “high quality” work with apprentices, equalling the best performance in the development sector.

The accolade follows an in-depth assessment of Berkeley’s apprenticeship programme using a benchmarking framework backed by the Department for Education. This process included interviews and anonymised surveys with current apprentices to understand their experience and progression through the scheme.

Berkeley Homes Capital, which is headquartered in Aldgate, directly employs 69 apprentices and is taking forward some of London’s largest regeneration projects, including Woodberry Down in Hackney, Poplar Riverside is Tower Hamlets and TwelveTrees Park in Newham.

Investors in People’s assessment highlighted a “full commitment to providing support and career paths for apprentices across the business”, as-well-as praising Berkeley Homes Capital as an “inclusive employer” which prioritises diversity and wellbeing.

Over 95% of apprentices surveyed during the study said they would recommend the business to friends and family.

Investors in People also praised Berkeley’s partnership with education charity Outward Bound, which sees apprentices take part in an excursion to the Lake District to build teamworking skills and self-confidence.

Brian Mckenzie, Divisional Managing Director at Berkeley Homes Capital, said:

“What makes this award so special is that it’s based on feedback from serving apprentices and a thorough assessment of our scheme. We will use these valuable insights to drive further improvements and I want to thank everyone at Berkeley Homes Capital for their commitment to developing and supporting our hugely talented apprentices.”

Paul Devoy, CEO of Investors in People, said:

“We’d like to congratulate Berkeley Homes Capital. Being accredited with ‘We invest in apprentices’ is a remarkable effort for any organisation, and places Berkeley Homes Capital in fine company with a host of organisations that understand the value of delivering high quality apprenticeships.”

In 2018, Investors in People was commissioned by the Department for Education to create a framework for organisations in the UK to use to ensure they are consistently delivering high-quality apprenticeships.