Santander today marks National Apprenticeship Week with the launch of a UK wide programme which will see the recruitment of 275 apprentices in the bank’s main offices and branch network.
A pilot scheme was run in 2012 with applicants joining work-based Apprenticeships at the company’s offices in Bootle and Bradford. The 2013 programme will be rolled out across the UK and take on apprentices for full time roles in Santander’s manufacturing, retail and telephone distribution divisions.
The bank’s Apprenticeships are aimed at people aged 16+ who have at least two GCSE (or equivalent) grades A - C in both English and Maths. Successful applicants will join as permanent employees and will study for vocational qualifications in either Providing Financial Services or Customer Service – the equivalent of achieving five GCSEs.
Marcus Lee, Head of Resourcing at Santander, said: “Following the successful pilot in 2012, we are delighted to open up our Apprenticeship programme to more candidates across the country this year. These roles provide people with invaluable work experience, supported by professional development and the benefit of a nationally recognised qualification.
“Our aim is to offer excellent customer service and we’re looking for people with real energy and passion to help us deliver a great experience for our customers every day. The Apprenticeship programme is a fantastic way to get into the banking sector and can be the first step to a long-term career with a successful global company.”
David Way, CEO of the National Apprenticeship Service, said: “National Apprenticeship Week celebrates the opportunities that employers provide to talented young people. The creation of these 275 Apprenticeships by Santander is great news. Santander is setting a great example for others to follow, showing that Apprenticeships are the way to attract and develop new talent. The business benefits are well known in terms of productivity, creativity and in the commitment and loyalty shown by Apprentices. Santander understands this and is investing in more Apprenticeships to drive its future business prosperity. We are delighted with this news and we hope to see more large companies following suit by offering similar Apprenticeship programmes to individuals across the country during National Apprenticeship Week.”
The Santander Apprenticeship programme is just one of the routes into a banking career as the company recognises that people follow different employment paths. To ensure that Santander can attract talented candidates from all these paths, the bank has a range of development programmes, including for graduates, school leavers and people who are already working but looking to switch career.
Santander is working with specialist providers Intraining and Skills Solutions who have designed the Apprenticeships to focus on developing people’s experience, skills and knowledge, benchmarked at a national level within the financial services sector.
Anyone interested in the Santander Apprenticeship programme can find out more and complete an online application by visiting: www.santanderjobs.co.uk/apprenticeships.
