Why Choose Appris?
Appris Charity is a not-for-profit, registered charity. Established in 1967 as a Group Training Association (GTA) that continues to be governed by engineering employers and professionals to this day. Appris Management Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of Appris Charity Limited.
The heart of Appris’ business is apprenticeships, specialising in the delivery of apprenticeship standards that meet the needs of the region’s strategic objectives and skills agenda.
With over 200 member companies and 500+ apprentices across West Yorkshire, Appris is the provider of choice for the engineering industry.
What makes Appris Unique?
Since the 1960s Group Training Associations (GTAs) have provided solutions to the workforce development needs of employers large and small around the country, delivering high quality technical training and achieving success rates consistently above the national average, thereby creating real opportunities for many thousands of young people and adults to pursue worthwhile careers in industries critical to the UK economy’s growth.
Group Training Associations (GTAs) were first introduced as a result of the 1964 Industrial Training Act. During the 1960s, the Engineering Training Board (EITB) were responsible for founding a large number of the 40 GTAs still in existence, as a way of ensuring employers had access to high-quality Engineering technicians where they were needed around the country. In 2012, a ‘Commission of Inquiry into the Role of Group Training Associations’ was established, and the Commission report was authored by Professor Lorna Unwin of the Institute of Education. It concluded that:
GTAs should be central to the Government’s plans for economic growth, rebalancing the economy, increasing the stocks of technician and higher level skills, and the expansion and improvement of apprenticeships. Group Training Associations deliver the robust governance and public good benefits of a college, with the best of employer responsiveness associated with private training providers. This is evident through the following characteristics:
GTAs should be central to the Government’s plans for economic growth, rebalancing the economy, increasing the stocks of technician and higher level skills, and the expansion and improvement of apprenticeships.
- Group Training Associations deliver the robust governance and public good benefits of a college, with the best of employer responsiveness associated with private training providers. This is evident through the following characteristics:
- GTAs are employer governed and therefore representative of employers demand
- GTAs are not for profit, limited by guarantee organisations with surpluses re-invested into provision
- GTAs support sectors contained in the Industrial Strategy that are identified for economic growth with a particular emphasis on STEM related areas
- Provision predominantly available at GTAs is at level 3 and is learners have employed status from commencement
- The GTA business model ensures income from commercial activities ranging from 50% to upwards of 80% of turnover. There is a synergy between the high-quality commercial work (training delivery, training consultancy, setting up and operating technical training centres) and the high-quality apprenticeship and study programme provision.
- GTAs contextualise learning in environments that models a technology-rich 21st-century workplace, and which exude the professional standards and behaviours that reflect the best of modern working practices
Our Vision
To be the training provider of choice for the regions engineering manufacturing industry, where our aim to achieve outstanding teaching and learning, supporting individuals and employers ever changing needs.
Our Mission
We provide opportunities to improve and succeed by advising, supporting and developing employers and individuals through training, consultancy and apprenticeships.
Our Values
Develop, support and empower staff, learners and businesses to achieve their full potential.
Enhance skills and knowledge of ourselves and others.
Learn through our experiences, relationships, feedback and professional development.
Innovate with new ideas through sustainable solutions.
Value the contribution of all.
Excellence at all levels.
Respond to the ever changing needs of customers, qualifications, technology and business.
Board Members
Board members support the business and provide strategic guidance to the Senior Management Team. Trustees are responsible for the governance of the business.
Since opening the Engineering Training Centre, the Board has evolved and now has representation from the educational sector, which complements the Board members from the senior engineering sector. Current Board members are:
Paul completed a modern technician apprenticeship with Powell (UK) and BTAL (Appris’ former identity!) in 1994 and subsequently gained a BSc with First Class Honours from the Open University in 2003. As a result of this background Paul is a strong advocate for apprenticeship schemes both in his organisation and wider industry. Paul has lived and worked in Bradford his whole life, currently residing in Haworth with his family. After completing his apprenticeship Paul worked as an electrical applications design engineer before joining the Design and Development department where he became the Director of Design and Development in 2014. He later became Technical Director with overall responsibility for all Powell IEC products and research and development.
He is a member of The IET, an Incorporated Engineer, a co-author of two peer reviewed industry technical papers, Chairman of the GAMBICA Controlgear Technical Committee, a member of the GAMBICA University & Industry Collaboration Council, a member of a number of BSi and IEC, national and international standards development committees for Low and High Voltage Switchgear and a member of the University of Huddersfield Engineering Industry Advisory Panel. Through these industry relationships and by proudly serving as a Trustee for Appris since January 2018, Paul is committed to help close the UK engineering skills gap, realise the great potential in our youth and secure a bright future for manufacturing and engineering in the UK.
Alex has worked in the FE Sector for over 18 years and is Managing Director at Yorkshire learning Providers and Director and co-chair of the Northern Skills Network
Alex is responsible for managing a network of 100 training providers, colleges, universities & adult & community learning providers across Yorkshire, supporting members through skills challenges, policy and curriculum implementation, and providing on-going advice and guidance on local, regional and national FE & Skills developments. Alex represents the apprenticeship & skills provider voice across a range of boards including West Yorks combined authority employment & skills board, Bradford Careers & Technical Education Board, Northern Skills Network board, Northern Powerhouse Skills Taskforce, West Yorks Green jobs taskforce, York Provider Group and North Yorks NEET Board.
Alex also provides the FE sector and employers across the country with consultancy support services to meet their business needs, particularly in relation to quality improvement, curriculum development, readiness to deliver, Ofsted preparation, audit & compliance support, Governance and safeguarding. Alex is Home Office approved to deliver Prevent training and is a member of the DfE national strategic group for safeguarding & prevent.
Amy is the Site training leader for Cummins Turbo Technologies Huddersfield site. She first joined Cummins in 2008 on a placement year as part of her Business Management degree, leaving in 2009 to return to University before returning to Cummins in 2011. Amy has responsibility for the training needs of the Huddersfield site, this includes apprenticeships and employee development through training and further education.
As a mother of 3, Amy values the opportunity to support and develop apprentices through the early part of their careers and channel their passion and drive to succeed and develop a great career.
CTT recruit a number of apprentices every year, to support manufacturing, engineering, and more recently support functions in the form of business administration and customer service. Apprenticeships are an excellent way to start a career and CTT have countless examples of employees who started out as apprentices, now in senior leadership roles.
Katie is an accomplished Emerging Talent & Careers Manager at Jet2.com and Jet2holidays, specialising in early careers strategy, apprenticeships, and graduate development. With over 15 years’ experience in apprenticeships and skills across a range of industries, and as a qualified assessor and internal verifier, she brings extensive expertise in designing and delivering high-quality talent programmes that drive both individual progression and business performance.
Katie has also completed two apprenticeships herself, giving her valuable first-hand insight into the learner journey. In addition to leading organisational talent initiatives, she serves as Co-Chair of the Yorkshire & Humber Apprenticeship Ambassador Network and is a West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) Cornerstone Employer, championing apprenticeship opportunities and strengthening employer engagement across the region.
Mark is an experienced Supply Chain Manager with a strong history within the oil & energy industry. He has a proven track record of delivering long term strategic objectives, whilst maintaining operational excellence. Additionally, Mark has strong sales professional skilled in negotiation, low cost country sourcing, advanced supply chain planning (ERP systems) and is highly experienced within a manufacturing environment.
I am from a tiny village in Northamptonshire which has 100 sheep and a mere 600 humans but arrived in Leeds in 2019 to study medical microbiology at Leeds University. After completing my degree I was unsure of what career I wanted to go into so was a manager at Starbucks until 2004 when I decided to start my training to be a science teacher. I Throughout my 17 years of teaching I have worked in various challenging inner city schools across Bradford, Leeds and Doncaster working to improve the life chances of students in some of the most socioeconomically deprived areas of the country. Whilst this has been extremely rewarding, in 2019 I decided to switch my focus to working at UTC Leeds where I am currently an Assistant Principal with responsibility for the sixth form, careers and destinations.
At UTC Leeds we work extremely hard to ensure that all of our students get positive destination when they leave us at the end of Year 11 and 13 and this has led to us being 0% NEET for the past 3 years. We are proud to say that some of our students have had Appris as their destination!
Paul Birtles is the Operations Director for ASG Produmax Limited, an aerospace components manufacturer based in Bradford, West Yorkshire.
Paul is Bradford born and bred and has been in manufacturing since 1981. He is a time served engineer completing his apprenticeship in 1985 at Renold Gears in Bradford while attending Bradford College on day release, being one of the first apprentices in the UK to complete the CNC programming modules. He has led teams in the textile and medical design fields achieving his first directorship in 2005 before moving to the aerospace industry with Produmax in 2012.
His principal interests include business transformation, culture change and lean manufacturing; ASG Produmax has recently undergone many changes working with Sharing in Growth and making significant local investments allowing products to be transferred from offshore to UK manufacture.
Being an active champion of youth engagement, he has been instrumental in establishing Produmax’s apprentice scheme as one of the most successful in the area. He was previously vice-chair of governors for Bradford College and sits on several boards all supporting development of young people, he firmly believes they are the key to the future.
Paul takes a holistic view of problem solving leading to innovative solutions involving many areas of the business. He has been involved in developing true partnerships with key customers enabling ASG Produmax to grow in reputation and size.
