Breaking down stereotypes in Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships at a world-leading bank

The challenge

Our client, a global household name in banking, was losing talent from its entry-level roles. They needed a solution which invited diverse and under-represented talent through their doors.

Apprenticeships conjure up all kinds of misconceptions, both for would-be employers and for would-be apprentices. To reach more people, we needed to convince both audiences that apprentices aren’t what they think.

Our solution?

An apprenticeships programme without barriers. With literally no prior education, qualifications or training, the apprentices could gain a recognised qualification whilst taking their first steps in the working world. All the bank asked for was potential.

We created a national internal and external campaign, featuring dynamic content created with real apprentices of all backgrounds, ages, work experience levels, cultures, and abilities, breaking down stereotypes held by potential apprentices, influencers and managers alike.

It started with a campaign film, tailored to both internal and external audiences. The first people to see it were key stakeholders and managers up and down the UK, delivered to them as part of a toolkit we created – filled with all kinds of goodies and comms made just for them and their team.

We also redesigned the Apprenticeships areas of our global early careers website, with new tools and a impressive range of profiles, designed to show that people of all ages, cultures and abilities can be apprentices, from retirees to single mums to candidates with mental and physical disabilities.

We even produced materials for charity partnerships, from disability groups to military resettlement programmes, all designed to reach groups who’d previously ruled themselves out.

Then, through a carefully crafted programmatic advertising campaign, we shared these comms externally, far and wide.

And the results?

What began as one apprenticeship programme is now six and counting, all designed for two reasons. The first, to foster social mobility, so that people from excluded groups can make their way not just into their field but to the top of it. The second, to train and retain loyal future leaders in banking. The apprentices range from age 16 – 60+, and ethnic diversity at Apprentice level is strong at the bank.

To date, the bank has saved over £2million on recruitment, and in one of our 8 week campaigns we generated over 110,000 page views and over 2,000 applications.

The bank’s Apprenticeship programme is now one of the nation’s most famously open and supportive apprenticeships, acknowledged from the Queen’s Award shortlist to the House of Commons.