When Plymouth Active Leisure were formed in April 2022, they recognised that developing workforce skills and creating career opportunities was important for their company values and therefore were looking to provide an Apprenticeship programme for their staff.
The organisation is a community focused company managing four leisure centres, and came under the ownership of Plymouth City Council in 2022. Until that point, they had been run by a nationwide operator, but the new arrangement meant a firm focus on encouraging the people of Plymouth to become active and stay active. To help do so, they wanted to quickly implement a new locally led Apprenticeship programme for employees, so People Impact and Engagement Manager Jess Hogben reached out to City College Plymouth to see if they could help.
Jess felt it was important that the partnership for the Apprenticeships should be a local provider with excellent knowledge of the area and who understood what they were trying to achieve, and that the response from the College was “immediate and brilliant”. She said: “I was new into my role and I have to confess that I knew absolutely nothing about Apprenticeships, so I needed someone who could hold my hand throughout the whole process and who could give me some expert help. Not only did I get that, but the College had the personal touch which meant that the programme that was developed was exactly what we needed as a company. That was because their team took time to listen and understand what was required, which was precisely the response I was looking for.”
Plymouth Active runs leisure centres at Plympton Swimming Pool and Gym, Tinside Lido, Mount Wise Pools and the Plymouth Life Centre and employs over 350 staff. Jess said the centres play a critical role in promoting physical wellbeing and community engagement. However, managing a leisure centre requires a skilled and versatile workforce and Apprenticeships were a cost-effective and sustainable solution to meet staffing needs while developing talent internally.
She worked closely with the College team on creating a Level 2 Leisure Team Member Apprenticeship, with those taking part learning and performing a variety of roles including lifeguarding, teaching swimming and instructing gym sessions. Apprentices commit to 30 hours a week on site with Plymouth Active, and attend College for one day every other week. The comprehensive range of subjects covered provide aspiring leisure professionals with the opportunity to gain invaluable experience and qualifications, ensuring that the Plymouth community has access to safe and enjoyable recreational activities. Jess added: “Plymouth is an active city and there is an increasing need for qualified professionals in the leisure sector, and we are proud that this Apprenticeship provides them with the hands-on experience they need.”
She said the Apprenticeship had proved a sustainable way of retaining good staff and giving them the opportunity to progress within the organisation, and the process had gone so well that some of their employees were now also doing a Business and Administration Apprenticeship. Jess said: “The relationship with the College is so strong that I know that if we need to develop Apprenticeships for other parts of the business that it can be done quickly and professionally.”
