For Citizens Advice Gateshead, apprenticeships have become an investment in future talent, fresh thinking and organisational growth.
As Learning and Development Manager, Andrew oversees the organisation's learning programmes and apprenticeship provision, helping colleagues develop the skills they need to succeed throughout their careers.
Over the years, Citizens Advice Gateshead has built a strong track record of developing apprentices, some of whom have remained with the organisation and progressed into long-term careers.
"Apprenticeships are a great gateway into the organisation. We've got people who started on apprenticeships years ago and are still here today."
The organisation currently supports 14 apprentices across a variety of roles and programmes.
Some are new recruits entering through an apprenticeship, while others are existing employees using apprenticeships to develop new skills and progress their careers.
For Andrew, one of the biggest benefits apprentices bring is fresh thinking:
"Apprentices bring new ideas, new ways of working and different perspectives. Their experiences are different from ours, and that helps us reflect on how we work, how we learn and how we develop people."
This impact is felt across the organisation, helping shape processes, improve ways of working and support service delivery.
Halima, the organisation's Learning and HR Support Apprentice, works across HR, recruitment and learning and development.
Rather than being limited to administrative tasks, she has been given responsibility for projects and processes that play an important role in supporting colleagues and organisational compliance.
Andrew believes this ownership is critical to apprentices' development:
"Giving apprentices real responsibility helps them build confidence and develop skills much more quickly. You can see the progress people make when they're trusted to take ownership of something important."
As a mentor, Andrew has also found the experience rewarding.
"What I've enjoyed most is the collaboration. We regularly bounce ideas off each other and work through challenges together. Having that different perspective has helped me grow too."
Citizens Advice Gateshead backs its commitment to apprentices by paying the Real Living Wage rather than the standard apprentice rate.
According to Andrew, this approach has helped the organisation attract high-quality candidates and broaden its recruitment reach.
"We wanted to make apprenticeships accessible and attract the strongest candidates possible. Paying a Real Living Wage has helped us do that."
The organisation also places a strong emphasis on learning and development. Alongside apprenticeship training, staff have access to a broad internal learning offer, management development programmes and nationally delivered skills training.
This enables apprentices to develop both role-specific skills and wider professional capabilities.
Andrew credits the support provided by Learning and Skills as a significant factor in the programme's success.
From recruitment and skills matching through to ongoing tutor support, the partnership has helped ensure apprentices receive the guidance they need throughout their journey.
"The support from Gateshead Council has been excellent. They took the time to understand our organisation and helped us identify the right candidates for the role."
The accessibility of local tutors and regular communication between learner, employer and provider has also been valuable.
"It feels like we're working alongside the Learning and Skills team rather than simply contacting a training provider."
For employers considering apprenticeships, Andrew's message is clear:
"Apprenticeships help organisations bring in new talent, develop skills and create progression opportunities. They're not just for school leavers anymore. We've seen people of all ages use apprenticeships to build new skills and advance their careers."
He encourages employers to speak with apprenticeship providers about their workforce needs and explore the options available:
"The best thing you can do is have a conversation. A good provider will help you understand what's possible and guide you towards the right solution for your organisation."