Apprenticeship opportunities in Exertis UK

A new initiative for warehouse staff in the Burnley NDC

At Exertis, it’s important to us to create opportunities for our people that benefit growth and career progression.

In the Exertis UK Burnley location, warehouse staff are being offered a unique apprenticeship opportunity thanks to the scheme launched by newly appointed Apprenticeship Co-ordinator Ola Kambul.

Getting started

In April 2022, Ola Kambul – former Warehouse Operative at the Burnley Exertis UK National Distribution Centre (NDC) – accepted her new role as an Apprenticeship Co-ordinator. Her vision in taking on this role was to give warehouse employees the chance to gain knowledge and progress their careers in ways they may not previously have had access to.

From June 2022, Ola began working to organise the apprenticeship programme, working alongside Charlotte James, Burnley’s Operations Training & Development Manager. According to Ola, this involved “building teaching and learning content for the five different apprenticeship units, organising and getting involved with subject matter experts to provide training, creating learning materials, and building the brand-new warehouse training room.”

By September, the apprenticeship programme was ready to launch and began to accept applications from interested members of the warehouse staff. Initially, Ola was surprised and delighted to find that there were a total of 20 applicants: a far larger number than foreseen. In the interest of giving Burnley warehouse employees an opportunity to grow, all applicants were given a space on the course.

Learning and growing

Prior to the Warehouse Apprenticeship Scheme, Warehouse Operatives within the Exertis UK Burnley NDC worked singularly within one department, learning the skills and roles associated with this one job. So, while they may have occasionally moved to other departments for support, workers would only have real knowledge of their own warehouse segment - but no "big picture" of the whole process.

The warehouse apprenticeship scheme seeks to change this with its three pillars: knowledge, behaviour, and skills. Each are designed with the aim of providing apprentices with sufficient understanding of other departments, customer service, health and safety, handling vehicles, and environmental management.

Knowledge

Under the first pillar, apprentices undergo online-based training, using the programme One File to create an e-portfolio that tracks their progress. In this segment, apprentices will have different tasks to complete and submit, including multiple choice and gap-filling exercises.

Skills

In the skill sessions, apprenticeships will take on different roles throughout the warehouse, gaining on-the-job knowledge of what tasks are completed in each section, how to do it, and which skills are required. This means that participants physically go into new areas and learn how to do jobs they usually wouldn't experience.

Behaviour

Within the behaviour section of the programme, apprentices are given the opportunity to shadow other employees within the warehouse. This gives them the chance to learn key skills like health and safety, team management, and building relationships across departments.
Additionally, the warehouse apprenticeship scheme gives apprentices the chance to learn functional skills, with each apprentice earning a Level 1 Maths and English qualification – something they’d typically have to strive for outside of working hours.

Ola Kambul

The scheme is open to all NDC warehouse workers regardless of gender, age, or background.

Ola Kambul Apprenticeship Co-ordinator, Exertis UK

The scheme also gives workers the tools they need to seek further training down the line – providing a smooth segue into managerial or supervisory training programmes held within Exertis UK.

“One of the main things that I encountered soon after starting this apprenticeship was the sense that I’m not just at work, doing the same thing over and over endlessly,” says apprentice Adrien Wearing, “There is actually a path of development open to me and everyone else willing to put a little bit of effort in.”

Feedback is given consistently throughout the course, with mistakes being corrected along the way by programme leaders, so apprentices can develop as they go. The formal testing comes in the form of two exams – one written knowledge test, and another practical exam that encourages apprentices to display the skills and behaviours learned throughout the programme. These are moderated externally for the fairest results.

Much of the training completed within the apprenticeship scheme is done so within the purpose-built warehouse training room. This contains 4 PCs, giving a quiet space for apprentices to complete assignments and other courses.

Of the course in general, apprentice Agnieszka Nadolska says “I feel comfortable that on each of stage of training I will always get support from my mentors and trainer. The apprenticeship for warehouse operatives is a great opportunity to improve skills and develop.”

Agnieszka Nadolska

The apprenticeship for warehouse operatives is a great opportunity to improve skills and develop.

Agnieszka Nadolska Exertis UK

Team effort

The Warehouse Apprenticeship Programme wouldn’t be what it is without the team members making it possible. Charlotte James is currently responsible for job training in the Exertis UK Burnley NDC warehouse. As an On the Job Trainer (OJT), Charlotte is responsible for other OJTs at The NDC, with plans for expansion of OJTs into Exertis Raunds.

Meanwhile, Apprenticeship Co-ordinator Ola has experience working in three departments within the warehouse herself – meaning she can enlist the assistance of team members from these areas to help her deliver training that is insightful and relevant to each section of the warehouse. This is achieved with support from her own manager and colleagues from her team – including MHE Instructor Chris Whitter, who acts as an internal trainer, delivering two sessions and creating all content.

Apprentice Aiden Lord feeds back that “Chris’ tutoring has been informative – he’s a great guy always willing to help. I’m looking forward to seeing how things mix up a little in the future, and to see what new subjects we can tackle.”

To ensure the programme is accessible to all warehouse workers, those delivering training and support are available to both day and night shift staff, and often come in on weekends to ensure everyone is given an equal opportunity to succeed.

The future of the scheme

At the conception of the warehouse apprenticeship scheme, Ola and the apprenticeship team weren’t quite sure what to expect. But now, since launch, everyone involved has had the opportunity to see what needs development, and which parts of the apprenticeship scheme are the most beneficial. Going forward, Ola aims to carry out some testing of different approaches, to see what works best and how she can drive further progress as the programme continues.

In the initial run of the programme, the team accepted everyone who applied, with a managerial recommendation system. So, the apprenticeship could be offered to those who are most keen to learn, and would be able to stick to the programme while dividing their time between learning and work.

In terms of expansion, The team plans to extend the apprenticeship scheme to the Exertis UK Raunds office, as this also is the site of an Exertis UK warehouse, with staff who may benefit from the skills gained through the apprenticeship programme.

Throughout Exertis, we’re always excited to find new ways to uplift our employees and help them become the best version of themselves. And at Exertis UK, the team in the Burnley NDC are working hard to give their colleagues an innovative opportunity to grow, both personally and professionally.