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Junior Energy Management Apprenticeship – House of Lords Launch

We are thrilled to announce that on Thursday 30th January, we will be officially launching the exciting Level 3 Junior Energy Management Apprenticeship at The House of Lords in London with our business partner npower Business Solutions.

Working closely with the Energy Manager’s Association (EMA), who will be the End Point Assessor (EPA), we have combined Group Horizon’s long history of delivering high quality learning with nBS’s expert knowledge of energy and energy management to meet the specified training standards of the Level 3 Junior Energy Management apprenticeship. The launch will be attended by a number of Members of the House of Lords, Members of Parliament, sector experts and representatives from some of the UK’s largest employers.

We truly believe that this apprenticeship not only fits in with the ESFA “Fire it Up” apprenticeship campaign but also with BEIS campaigns promoting good Energy Management and the wider Government commitment to move to “Net Zero” Carbon by 2050. Businesses who put employees through the “JEM” apprenticeship will start to find opportunities very quickly for reducing their energy costs, their energy usage and their carbon emissions, upskilling and retraining their employees and helping the fight on Climate Change.

This Apprenticeship provides bedrock and foundation knowledge across 11 core topics of Energy Management including Technical; Assessments; Behavioural Change; Regulatory and Legal; Waste Management; Transport; Procurement; Water and many more, all coming together to provide a robust underpinning knowledge. The Apprenticeship can be delivered nationwide and can take up to 24 months to complete. Entrants can come from all types of companies/industries, including hospitality, leisure, retail, banking, manufacturing, construction and property.

On successful completion of this Apprenticeship programme individuals will receive the following;

Junior Energy Manager Apprenticeship at Level 3
Level 2 Functional Skills, English (If required)
Level 2 Functional Skills, Maths (If required) and
Membership of the Energy Managers Association (EMA) or Technical Membership status of the Energy Institute (TMEI)

Group Horizon originally ran a pilot of the Apprenticeship back in April 2019 but due to demand we have increased the number of Apprentices enrolled to 45 learners, delivered in various areas across the UK. One of our Apprentices Liam Doughty of Gateshead Council, who enrolled onto the pilot in the North East, said “The qualification has provided me with a massive opportunity allowing me to not only progress with my knowledge and skills in the energy industry but help me move forward in my career.” Liam added “All the staff at Group Horizon have been fantastic and have clearly put a lot of work into making the programme happen, from the preparation of the classroom days to the reviews and assessment of the assignments.”.

Keep up to date with the launch by following us through our Social Media channels and to read more about the Junior Energy Management Apprenticeship Click Here or download the Product Sheet.

Its Official! Ofsted rated “Good” across all indicators!

Our first Ofsted inspection took place on 10th – 13th December 2019 using the new Education Inspection Framework. We were notified on Friday 6th December that 5 inspectors would be visiting Group Horizon and that learners and employers would be interviewed from sites across England and in our partnerships in the Tees Valley Combined Authority.

Our strategic leadership approach was commended. “Leaders have a clear strategic rationale for the delivery of apprenticeship programmes in manufacturing, management and energy…. they work effectively with employers….. to identify and design programmes that support apprentices and learners to develop the technical skills required to meet local and regional need. Leaders are ambitious for learners…. They plan and deliver specialist programmes that provide learners and apprentices with the knowledge and skills that they need to be successful in the energy, logistics and manufacturing industries.”

Apprenticeship programmes demonstrate that learners “value the qualifications that they study towards. Staff work in close collaboration with employers to design and deliver programmes that maximise apprentices’ ability to develop new knowledge and skills. Apprentices quickly develop substantial new knowledge, skills and behaviours which leads to a high proportion achieving their qualifications.”

On our new Junior Energy Management programme… “Energy apprentices acquire a greater breadth of knowledge in the calculation of energy consumption. They use this knowledge to consider energy efficiencies and provide advice to colleagues and customers on how to manage energy more effectively. Tutors consistently check knowledge in sessions and use online tests to enable apprentices to recall information.”

Adult programmes were commended for the increase in confidence that learners achieve as they gain new knowledge and skills in construction, manufacturing and logistics. “Adult learners receive high-quality training which they see as the key to opening the door to future employment.” Our staff were commended for the support they give …. “Adult learners with mental health issues receive support from tutors and are referred to external agencies to receive specialist help.”

On British Values and Safeguarding, Ofsted found that learners and apprentices develop a good understanding of the values needed to live and work in modern Britain. Leaders implement suitable safeguarding procedures to keep learners safe and ensure that staff and learners receive effective safeguarding training.

Our success is due to our dedicated team of staff and it is refreshing to see the positive commentary about our experienced and dedicated trainers.

Thanks to the team and to all of the learners and their employers who contributed and continue to support our success. The Ofsted Grade 2 overall gives us a firm platform to build upon. Needless to say, we won’t let up on the continuous improvements.

To read the full Ofsted report please click here or visit the Ofsted website to view the report by clicking here.

Why not take a look at the Apprenticeships and Short Courses that we offer by clicking here or for further information contact us at info@grouphorizon.co.uk or call 0800 002 9805

People in Power Awards 12.09.2018

On September 12th the People in Power Awards was held at St. George’s Park, Burton-on-Trent – The FA’s National Football Centre as part of the annual NSAP Conference. The awards celebrate the breadth of talent that exists within the power sector. There were eight awards presented on the night across six categories. Our very own Karl Warner (npower) Smart Meter Apprentice was nominated for the Rising Star Award. We are all very proud of Karl and although he didn’t win on the night it is a massive achievement to be nominated and put through as a finalist! Well done to all the winners. A full list of nominees and winners can be found here: https://www.euskills.co.uk/people-in-power-awards-2018-finalists/

The Power of our Apprentices

Apprenticeships have long been a popular option for school-leavers, job-seekers and employers throughout the UK, with 27,000 apprenticeship starts across the nation in November 2017 alone. At npower, we see enormous value in apprenticeships as part of our early careers offering, which also includes graduate schemes and internships and placements. This commitment has seen us take on a new cohort of Smart Meter apprentices, completing our 11-group run which has seen us welcome 106 new apprentices to this part of the business. These team members will play a very significant role in the ongoing roll-out of Smart Meters across Britain and are integral to the future success of the business. Here’s what you need to know:

About the Smart apprenticeship programme

We’ve been running the Smart apprenticeship scheme since 2016, when we identified the need to bring on and train new talent to help support the Smart meter movement. With the 2020 deadline for Smart Meter installation rapidly approaching, we knew we needed to not only increase our resources in this area, but also add new skills. Currently, 25% of the Smart workforce at npower is apprentices.

The 14-month programme is run in partnership with Group Horizon and produces fully-qualified Smart Meter Installers ready to hit the ground running upon graduation of the programme. And while the Smart Meter programme will taper off as the installation deadline nears, none of our installers will be out of work. While we are not currently taking on new apprentices in the Smart Meter space, we are always looking at new ways to upskill our colleagues and introduce new people to the business.

Recognising the success of our apprentices

Our apprentices do great things. Recently, one of our Smart apprentices was shortlisted for the National Skills Academy – Power Apprentice of the Year in the Rising Star category. Karl Warner started with us as a meter reader when he became aware of the opportunity to upskill to Smart Meter Installations, gain qualifications and safeguard his future career. His participation in the apprenticeship saw him learn gas and electrical skills, as well as improving his English and maths levels – not to mention improving his overall confidence. He’s on track to taking on a mentoring or management role within the business, something the apprenticeship scheme has helped bring within his reach.

In Karl’s own words: “I would strongly recommend an apprenticeship to others. It’s an investment in your future and you get trained and qualified along the way. To achieve what I have in 18 months is great – there is no looking back.”

Karl is now one of the team’s top performers, despite being new to smart installations, and his finalist placing for the national award is testament to his hard work and success in the apprenticeship programme.

https://www.npowerjobs.com/blog/the-power-of-our-apprentices-blog-82829844502

If you are interested in our Smart Metering Apprenticeship offer please click here to read more about the programme. You can also call 0800 002 9805 or email info@grouphorizon.co.uk.

Karl is one of a number of successful apprentices who have completed our Smart Meter Apprenticeship. Read more about what our other apprentices had to say about their experience by clicking here.

Quality Standard Recognition for Group Horizon

Group Horizon are pleased to announce that they have retained their Matrix Standard Accreditation, the quality mark for organisations providing Impartial information, advice and guidance. Group Horizon was originally awarded the Matrix Standard accreditation in June 2014, and have again in 2017 been assessed as to how they provide quality information, advice and guidance (IAG) to potential and existing students. In particular, Group Horizon’s relationship with partners and focus on supporting learners’ needs and aspirations were highlighted as excellent in helping students achieve their goals.

Many of Group Horizon’s staff and learners were interviewed as part of the audit which looked closely at every part of the business to ensure students are receiving the best support, information, advice and guidance possible.

This sought-after accreditation means Group Horizon remain on a list of highly regarded training providers that also includes colleges and major universities.

We are very happy to have achieved this accreditation once more as it demonstrates the high standard of impartial information, advice and guidance provided at Group Horizon. The value of having Matrix within our company is an excellent internal measure for our company to strive to continue to provide exceptional service to our learners, partners and employers.

Peter Behan

Group Horizon Managing Director

About Group Horizon:

To find out more about our nationwide training opportunities, call: 0800 002 9805 or email: info@grouphorizon.co.uk

About the Matrix Standard:

The matrix Standard is the national quality mark for all organisations delivering information, advice and guidance services. The matrix Standard is highly adaptable to a range of organisational settings, regardless of size or sector, including further/higher education establishments, training providers and voluntary/community organisations.

https://matrixstandard.com/

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