At the start of National Apprenticeship Week, Realise – which provides apprenticeships and training for 7,000 people aged 16 or over across the UK – has outlined a package of measures to assist employers and school leavers seeking apprenticeship opportunities.

Realise’s Training and Development Officers across a range of sectors – including health and social care, early years, hairdressing and transport – have undergone special additional training to support school leavers who have seen their mental health impacted by the repercussions of Covid-19.

An app has also been introduced for learners to reach out to get support or raise any mental health concerns while Realise has also trained a team of mental health first aiders to support its apprentices.

The measures have been taken after a report from Young Minds – a mental health charity for children, young people and their parents – revealed more than two-thirds of parents are very concerned about the long-term impact of coronavirus on their child’s mental health.

“Given the backdrop of the last two years, this National Apprenticeship Week is arguably the most significant we have faced in terms of support we must provide for our apprentices of all ages, but particularly for those who are just leaving school.

“There have been undoubted disruptions to both the educational and social development of young people during the pandemic and we stand ready to help address that.

“Our role as a training provider is not only to develop and train people to meet the skills required by employers but also to help those individuals fulfil their potential. As part of that, we have a duty of care to ensure their health and wellbeing are being constantly assessed and acted upon and that is a role we take extremely seriously.

“Our Covid Recovery Plan will give our apprentices and employers the best chance to maximise their development.”

Realise has also committed to help employers fill any education voids created by school lockdown closures by offering additional support around functional skills – English and Maths – where required during the apprenticeship.

Gregg added: “There has been disruption to the education of this generation of future apprentices through no fault of their own. Where required, we will work with employers to provide extra support to ensure any shortfall in learning is addressed.

“Apprentices have always been, and continue today, to be the lifeblood of many businesses and the starting point for the next generation of talent.

“We are proud to be playing our part in upskilling and training the latest generation of school leavers and helping to ensure they have the same opportunity to succeed as their peers from previous years who won’t have been affected by the fallout of a pandemic.”

Download our full guide here

Realise provides first class skills, education and employment services to more than 7,000 learners and thousands of employers across a host of sectors in the UK every year.