News and success stories

We spoke to Sgt. Danielle Thacker, Royal Logistics Corps Connect Apprentice of the Year 2024, about her experience on her Level 4 Operational Munitions Engineering Technician Apprenticeship.

Read more about Danielle's experience

Pearson, the world’s lifelong learning company, will become one of the British Army’s largest apprenticeship partners, after winning three new contracts to deliver the courses with the UK’s Ministry of Defence.

The Army is one of the biggest apprenticeship providers in the country, giving learners the opportunity to gain new skills and knowledge beyond combat. An army apprenticeship provider since 2010, Pearson TQ will now hold six contracts in total - delivering logistics, healthcare, intelligence, business admin and HR, construction, engineering, policing and veterinary services programmes to around 4,000 learners each year.

The new contracts will see Pearson TQ providing apprenticeships in the following sectors of the armed forces over the next six years:

• In the Catering Training Wing, where students will develop skills in professional cooking, kitchen management, food safety, and facilities supervision, gaining industry-recognised catering and health and safety qualifications.
• In the Royal Military Police, where apprentices will be trained in detainee management, military law enforcement, investigation techniques, and conflict resolution, earning policing and security-related certifications.
• In the Royal Armoured Corps, where students will receive training in vehicle maintenance, engineering operations, and military animal care, equipping apprentices with hands-on technical and welfare skills.
• Within the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, where apprentices will gain expertise in farriery, military animal training, and welfare, developing specialist skills in hoof care, animal behaviour, and obedience training.

Martyn Leader, Vice President of Pearson TQ, said:
“We are delighted to extend our long-standing and successful partnership with British Army apprentices. These new contracts are another step forwards on Pearson’s journey to build on its early careers offer. From logistics and business admin, to catering or veterinary care, these courses are a fantastic path for a diverse range of learners who want to earn while they learn, boost their skillsets and open doors to new opportunities and career paths.”

A spokesperson for the Army said:
“Apprenticeships are fundamental to the Army recruiting offer with over 95% of new joiners enrolling on an apprenticeship. This is the first step of a soldier’s learning journey, the Army invests significantly in skills, education and training through apprenticeships and pathways to higher education. This enables us to create high-performing and technologically astute operators for the future workforce. We look forward to continuing our relationship with Pearson TQ.”
 

We spoke to Manjula Singh about her experience on her Level 5 Operations Manager Apprenticeship with Pearson TQ and how her apprenticeship has equipped her with the knowledge and confidence to take on leadership roles and contribute positively to her organisation's success.

Manjula works at UK Power Networks as an Asset Strategy Manager (Circuits).

Read more about Manjula's experience

We spoke to Christian Disney about his epxiernce on his Level 5 Operations Manager Apprenticeship with Pearson TQ and how it was an important growth opportunity for him.

Christian works at BCM Global as a BiFD Servicing Manager.  Find out more about how blending work with learning has been an enriching experience.

Read more about Christian's experience

Read about Great Ormond Street Hospital's latest apprenticeship initiatives and how Pearson TQ helped them achieve their objectives:

"In 2022 Great Ormond Street Hospital launched our ‘Above and Beyond’ Strategy and our people strategy that focused on the build of our Amazing new Children's Cancer centre and a key focus on making GOSH an amazing place to work. Key to the objectives was the need to have a clear defined development path for our future leaders to ensure that they embedded our values, led our teams in an effective way and supported the long term goals of the Hospital.

During this time we developed our own management induction and short in-house development program. The Apprenticeship lead was then asked to look for an Apprenticeship provider to deliver Apprenticeship courses that align to our new strategies, values and objectives led by an expert panel from across all parts of the trust. TQ Pearson’s really stuck out from the rest of the offers mainly in the way that they offered to collaborate in design and delivery and implementation of the programs. They have supported with new marketing, engagement sessions, onsite meetings and the design of new internal course pages with regular reviews and clear escalation processes that align to our Apprenticeship Strategy. 2 years later I view TQ as our most valued Apprenticeship partner.

Great Ormond Street Hospital is an acute specialist trust known around the world, our colleagues on the leadership programs come from a mixture of professions all over the workplace. The programs have proven to bring our teams closer together with Pharmacists, Nurses, Allied Health professionals and Non-clinical teams all learning together and from each other. TQ have also supported us by having guest speakers from GOSH on the program to cover key areas like Finance, Our Childrens Cancer centre, Sustainability targets and s ‘speak up policy’ which makes the Leadership programs we have delivered very aligned to ‘live’ events and objectives set by the trust. In difficult times onsite with space and with individuals the team have always been supportive.

TQ have also been supportive with giving recommendations on the internal content on our Leadership pathways and courses.

We now have close to 100 Apprentices across the L3 and L5 programs with TQ our highest at Great Ormond Street, many from the first cohort are now completing with distinctions! We have very low attrition and this is due to the wonderful support provided by the TQ team."

Laurence O'Sullivan-Whiting, Workforce Development Lead, Great Ormond Street Hospital

Read about UK Power Network's incredible apprentices, outstanding pass rates and how Pearson TQ helped tailor their apprenticeship programme to meet their requirements.

"I’m pleased to share our experience partnering with Pearson TQ for the Level 5 Operations/Departmental Manager Apprenticeship programme at UK Power Networks.

From the beginning, Pearson TQ took the time to understand our needs as a 24-hour business, adapting to our busy periods and priorities. Their commitment to flexibility and open communication has been key to building trust. They listen, act on feedback, and stay responsive, making them a reliable partner.

Pearson TQ worked with us to design a programme that aligns with our leadership goals, integrating UK Power Networks’ values, processes, and objectives. This collaboration made the programme feel truly ours. They’ve kept the content relevant by regularly updating it, and the addition of guest speakers from our company has further enhanced the learning experience. They stay flexible, adjusting the programme to reflect our current objectives. This approach makes training relevant and impactful, evident in our high pass rates and strong engagement.

So far, 50 apprentices have completed the programme, with 68 currently still on board. Each cohort has had strong participation, with a consistent 100% first-time pass rate and about 92% achieving distinctions. Interest remains high, and we’re already planning the next cohort for 2025.

Pearson TQ aligns the programme with our business goals and career development strategies. Regular updates through monthly and quarterly meetings and data dashboards keep stakeholders engaged and informed. Feedback from both leadership and apprentices has been positive, showing clear improvements in leadership skills, as well as internal promotions that demonstrate a strong return on investment.

Pearson TQ ensures apprentices can apply what they learn through tailored workshops, scenario-based activities, peer discussions, and practical assignments. Each apprentice is assigned a dedicated Skills Coach for personalised support.

The impact:

• 96% report improved management skills.
• 97% apply new skills directly in their roles.
• 95% of line managers see benefits for career development.
• 100% of line managers agree it benefits the business.

Pearson TQ’s dedication and adaptability have made this apprenticeship programme an essential part of developing our future leaders."

Alex Sturge, Head of Communications, Media and Engagement, UK Power Networks

South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust

We spoke to Pamela Davenport about her experience on her Level 5 Mary Seacole Programme, and how it has helped develop leadership skills in her healthcare career.

Pamela is a Social Worker/Team Manager for an Adult Community Mental Health Team in London.

She found that the course gave her a collaborative community in which to learn, developing confidence and giving her the tools she needs to bring her team together around shared values and goals.

Read more about Pamela's experience

In March 2024, Corrina talked to us about her experience of her Level 3 Business Administrator Apprenticeship. Corrina is a Military Personnel Administrator in the British Army and completed her apprenticeship at Aldershot and Joint Hospital Group South, Portsmouth.

The Business Administrator Level 3 Apprenticeship standard is designed to create a comprehensive learning experience for those wishing to work within a Business Administrator role.

> Hear about Corrina's experience