New‐look apprenticeships build crucial skills at BAM Nuttall : Scheme provides key route into the company

Purpose – Describes an award‐winning apprenticeship scheme at UK civil‐engineering company BAM Nuttall. Design/methodology/approach – Explains the background to the scheme, the form it takes and the results it has achieved. Findings – Details the scheme's mixture of classroom and workshop‐based learning, plus site placements. Emphasizes that a strong review process ensures that support is tailored and learners are motivated to achieve appropriate targets. Describes how site managers and mentors support learners, progressive workbooks and learning objectives stretch learners, and forums are used to get feedback from learners and provide tailored group support. Practical implications – Reveals that the scheme has helped to reduce staff turnover and increase trainee success rates. Social implications – Highlights a scheme that that is helping to combat an industry‐wide skill shortage. Originality/value – Reveals how a scheme that had ceased to meet the needs of the business was reformed to become a key route into the organization.