OCS announces bold plans to increase apprenticeship placements

With the company’s recent announcement of its vision to make people and places the best they can be as part of its brand strategy, the move reinforces OCS’ commitments to social mobility and impact. This includes driving social value initiatives, such as apprenticeship schemes and funded learning, to improve sustainable employment by providing empowering careers and embracing diversity.

OCS has experienced a 140% growth in the uptake of its apprenticeships over the past year and aims to continue this trajectory by offering opportunities for each of its service lines – security, facilities management, cleaning, catering, hospitality, pest control and hard services.

Based in Ipswich, OCS currently offers 12 professional pathways and 39 programmes to support its business units. In addition to its service lines, this includes opportunities in management and leadership, coaching and mentoring and customer service and sales. With a focus on investing in the development and upskilling of its internal colleagues, these pathways and programmes are open to both OCS’ own employees and external candidates.

Apprenticeship pathways will be available at entry level (ie Level 2) and for management (ie Level 3), while OCS is currently in the process of revising its higher apprenticeship pathway (ie Level 4) with the Institute for Apprentices and Technical Education.

Quality of delivery

Toni Marie-Vaughan, head of social mobility at OCS UK and Ireland, commented: “While it’s important that we continue to open up more opportunities for people who are looking to develop themselves, our priority will always focus on the quality of programmes delivered. We’re working with a number of partners.”

Marie-Vaughan continued: “Additionally, we’ve made further investments into our online training modules, which are delivered through the OCS Academy. Learners can tap into all kinds of programmes in addition to the training that’s structured around the pathway they’ve chosen. Along with e-Learning and on-the-job training, learners can expect regular line management meetings and coaching conversations, time for studying away from practical training and the delivery of progress reports.”

Daniel Dickson, CEO at OCS UK and Ireland, explained: “It’s exciting that we operate in an industry which can provide opportunities for further development within many different career paths. Our apprenticeship scheme and funded learning pathways are accessible to everyone, regardless of their age, gender, background, level of education or experience.”

Dickson concluded: “It also opens doors for people who might not have been able to progress their careers previously due to other commitments and are now looking to transform their lives. As a company, we’re proud to support their ambitions and help them take that next step on their career journey.”

*Further information is available online at www.ocs.com