Jade Pearson, New Talent Manager from Seven Trent, Career & Talent Stories (Part.2)

This week Safaraz is in conversation with Sharon Blyfield OBE, head of early careers at Coca-Cola Euro Pacific Partners. In the first half of this two-part chat, Safaraz and Sharon discusses her journey, her role at Coca Cola, and the organization's initiatives in apprenticeships, graduate programs, and stakeholder partnerships. Sharon will be emphasising the importance of nurturing young talent, sharing personal experiences, and advocating for diversity and inclusion in leadership roles. What we hear in this conversation is Sharon's dedication to empowering individuals and building a strong talent pipeline for the future.

This week we hear the second part of Safaraz’s conversation with Scott Parkin from The Institute of Employability Professionals, they take a further look into the world of employability and professional development. In this half of their conversation, Scott reflects on his personal journey of growth and his journey as a leader over the past decade. He tells us about the evolution of his career, the innovative initiatives of his organization, and the outlook for the employability sector. We get valuable insights and wisdom from Scott's experiences and a vision for the future. We discover the transformative power of purpose-driven leadership and the importance of visibility in driving positive change. 

In this episode we hear the first part of Safaraz’s conversation with Scott Parkin, from the Institute of Employability Professional.
Scott and Safaraz discuss the growth and impact of the Institute of Employability Professionals (IEP) and how Scott's leadership has propelled the IEP into an international realm, offering membership opportunities, networking, and learning initiatives. The discussion delves into the significance of the Fellowship program, professional growth pathways within the organization, and collaborative efforts with stakeholders to enhance quality standards and address sector challenges. Scott's vision for fostering a supportive community within the sector shines through, emphasizing the power of human connection and collective action in driving positive change.

This week, Safaraz continues his conversation with Lucy Hunte, the National Program Manager for Apprenticeships at NHS England. In this very insightful episode, Lusy reflects on her career journey and the impact she's making in the apprenticeship sector. She discusses the importance of mentorship, diversity in the workplace, and the challenges faced in promoting apprenticeships to SME employers. lucy's background in sales has equipped her with valuable skills to navigate the sector and advocate for positive change. She tells us about her experiences, challenges, and vision for the future of apprenticeships and workforce development in NHS England.

This week, Safaraz is in conversation with Lucy Hunte, the National Program Manager for Apprenticeships at NHS England. Safaraz and Lucy discusses her career journey working in apprenticeships, first at colleges and then moving to her current role at NHS England.

She talks about how NHS England has embraced apprenticeships, growing from under 1,000 apprentices when she started in 2016 to over 150,000 now. Lucy discusses the challenges and opportunities of implementing apprenticeship programs within such a large organization like the NHS.

Key topics highlighted include: increasing apprenticeship uptake across NHS trusts, utilizing the apprenticeship levy, developing health-specific apprenticeship standards, ensuring quality provision, challenges around maths and English requirements, and Lucy's passion for bringing back the business administration apprenticeship standard. Lucy also shares advice for government and the apprenticeship sector more broadly. She advocates for consistency, simplicity and putting learners first when developing policies and standards.

In this week’s episode of The Canny Conversations podcast, Safaraz talks to Jonathan Foot, Head of Apprenticeships and Early Careers at Compass Group UK and Ireland. In part one of their conversation, Saf and Jonathan discusses his role leading the apprenticeship program at Compass Group, the large food and support services company operating in sectors, including business, healthcare, and education. They discuss the Compass Group's "Mission to a Million" commitment to provide opportunities for career development regardless of people's backgrounds. Jonathan outlines how he has built up an award-winning apprenticeship program at Compass by focusing on quality teaching and learning. He also emphasizes the importance of collaborating with partners like the Multicultural Apprenticeship Alliance to attract diverse talent into the business. 

In this week’s episode of The Canny Conversations podcast, Safaraz talks to Jonathan Foot, Head of Apprenticeships and Early Careers at Compass Group UK and Ireland. In part one of their conversation, Saf and Jonathan discusses his role leading the apprenticeship program at Compass Group, the large food and support services company operating in sectors, including business, healthcare, and education. They discuss the Compass Group's "Mission to a Million" commitment to provide opportunities for career development regardless of people's backgrounds. Jonathan outlines how he has built up an award-winning apprenticeship program at Compass by focusing on quality teaching and learning. He also emphasizes the importance of collaborating with partners like the Multicultural Apprenticeship Alliance to attract diverse talent into the business. 

Welcome back to the second half of this Canny Conversation, with our guest Sophie Norris, the Early Careers Manager at Bentley Motors, the iconic luxury car maker based in Crewe.

In this episode, Sophie shares insights into her own career journey from studying events management in Manchester to her current role managing Bentley's early careers programs. Safaraz and Sophie go on to discuss the opportunities and challenges facing Bentley as the business embarks on its 'Beyond 100' strategy to become an end-to-end carbon neutral organization by 2030.

The conversation also touches on Bentley's deep roots in the local Crewe community, the disappointment over the cancellation of the HS2 rail link. Sophies small team of 3 will manage 150 new trainees, next year across apprenticeships, industrial placements, and graduates. She also offers valuable advice to those considering careers at Bentley and talks about the crucial role of volunteering and getting outside your comfort zone. Safaraz and Sophie go on discuss the need to tailor applications, ask questions at interviews, research the business values, and demonstrate spark, curiosity, and purpose.

Joining us In this episode is Sophie Norris, the Early Years Career Manager at luxury carmaker Bentley Motors Ltd. Sophie was born and raised in Cannock in the West Midlands, but now calls Manchester home after attending university there. Safaraz will be talking to Sophie about her interesting career journey, from studying English Literature, to pivoting into human resources, eventually landing her "dream role" at the iconic British brand Bentley Motors where she now manages a portfolio of over 250 trainees across a variety of programs.

Sophie will also share insights into Bentley's ambitious Beyond 100 strategies focused on sustainability and innovation to lead sustainable luxury mobility over the next century. We'll learn how Bentley managed to accelerate growth and navigate uncertainty over the past few years. Finally, in this first part of her conversation with Safaraz, Sophie will talk about her management style and what she has learned from previous managers during her career.

In the second part of this Conversation featuring Kathryn Marshall, Senior Apprenticeship Manager at Lloyds Banking Group, Safaraz and Kathryn continue to explore the world of apprenticeships - the opportunities they provide for career development, the misconceptions that still exist, and the incredible impact they can have on people's lives. Kathryn shares insights from her own experience leading Lloyds Banking Group's apprenticeship programs. With over 1,100 apprentices across 38 different job roles, Lloyds is clearly committed to apprenticeship opportunities. Kathryn discusses the wraparound support Lloyds provides including networking events, ambassador programs, and skills development. They also talk about the need to promote apprenticeship parity with university degrees, especially with parents who still view university as the best option. Kathryn stresses the behaviours behind inclusion that are just as important as targets in creating a diverse and welcoming environment for apprentices.

It's a fascinating discussion about the transformational power of apprenticeships.