Learning and development skills are as important as anything apprentices learn on the shop floor or in the classroom. This is why, as part of their apprenticeship, in partnership with their employer, we added a skills challenge in the Lake District to this group’s training programme.

As many employers know, teamwork and communication are essential skills in any business. In this, our latest outbound event, the employer was very keen to make the learning of these skills as fun and accessible as possible by presenting apprentices with a series of tasks which challenged not only their thinking but would also help to equip them with life-long leadership and planning skills.

And there is no doubt that the apprentices see the value in it too. By taking on a wide range of challenges such as abseiling, canoeing raft-building and orienteering, the apprentices learned practical, useful skills as well a real sense of achievement which plays a big part in developing confidence and self-esteem.

Watch Jack explain what he’s learnt and how the skills he has picked up will provide a real benefit when he gets back to work.

Hear from Peter Winebloom, Director of EEF Apprentice and Skills service about the benefits of adding an event like this to your Apprentice development programme.

Check out some of what this year’s apprentices got up to back in June. We’ll also be adding some thoughts from some of the apprentices themselves over on our apprentice section. And, as always, if you want to find out more, get in touch!