Apprenticeships offer a wealth of benefits, and it’s no surprise that 178,000 people in England completed one during the 2023/2024 academic year. At Meridian Trust, we offer 13 different apprenticeship courses and currently have 37 apprentices working within the Trust.
We spoke with Kerry Croft and Steph Clarke, both Area Estates Managers at Meridian Trust, who are currently undertaking their Level 4 Facilities Management apprenticeships. Kerry brings over 18 years of experience in estates and facilities management at Meridian Trust, witnessing the estates team’s growth and development in supporting the 31 schools the Trust now serves. His decision to pursue an apprenticeship stemmed from a desire to, “further enhance my area of expertise and expand on my knowledge to support and deliver continuous leadership and strategic facilities management.”
Steph’s path to an apprenticeship followed managerial roles, including one at an International Athletic Stadium. She has been with Meridian Trust for five years, joining after her son began his education. Steph believes, “The apprenticeship offers the perfect combination of hands-on experience and learning. I can develop practical skills while working in a real-world environment.”
Martin Hair, Director of Estates, advocates apprenticeships to develop and support learners’ skills and knowledge, and shared: “The apprenticeship approach to learning provides a practical framework from which the learners can demonstrate the application of the lessons being taught in real-world scenarios and have instant feedback from the tutor as well as other learners on the course.”
Both Kerry and Steph dedicate approximately 14 hours per week to their studies, which include completing assignments and online training sessions. Steph has found her experience incredibly rewarding having had the opportunity to work on diverse tasks, from coordinating maintenance schedules to overseeing major refurbishment projects and even implementing sustainability practices. “Every day brings new challenges,” Steph shares, “which keeps the role engaging.” When considering the value that apprentices bring to the team, Martin observed, “this approach to learning has created a situation where I am supporting our learners with their tasks when they ask for a second opinion which is making me have to think and stretch in different directions which is interesting and rewarding at the same time.”
Apprenticeships are designed to build upon existing skills and, in this case, provide exposure to other facilities management sectors. Kerry explains, “I have developed a greater understanding of how innovative technologies can support the education sector, and it is very advantageous to stay ahead of the curve to make informed decisions.” Steph has gained “a greater understanding and compassion for some of the hard conversations between the finance and estates teams.”
“The apprenticeship assignments and group-focused sessions have been a great tool for presenting leadership skills and adaptability,” Kerry explains. “The course has given me exposure and a more in-depth understanding of the level required at directors’ level for areas such as business continuity planning.”
Apprenticeships play a pivotal role in shaping future careers, from launching them in a wide range of industries or upskilling individuals at various levels. Both Kerry and Steph are using the Level 4 Facilities Management Apprenticeship to upskill and receive hands-on experience and knowledge. Reflecting the Meridian Trust value of, “Valuing people”, Kerry believes the apprenticeship, “ensures we will continue to promote high quality learning environments and facilities for students, staff and visitors in the future.”
Martin revealed that the most surprising outcome of using an apprenticeship in the workplace is, “how well managed the whole process has been by our apprenticeship provider, the onboarding, tutoring and course management has been excellent, the regular feedback review process has helped me understand the learning process.” Martin adds, “I will be looking at every opportunity to leverage the apprenticeship approach when looking at new roles or providing formal training to existing staff.”
Meridian Trust is proud to have offered four apprentices permanent employment promotions within the Trust already in 2025. Through the Post Graduate Teaching Apprenticeship route via The Cambridge Partnership, five teaching apprentices will join Meridian Trust in September. Further expansion of available courses is in review to offer a more varied choice within the classroom and support functions
If you are interested in studying an apprenticeship at Meridian Trust, you can register your interest on the Meridian Trust talent pool – https://mynewterm.com/trust/Meridian-Trust/2526. If you are already a colleague at Meridian Trust and are interested in an apprenticeship, please speak with your line manager for further information on the available opportunities.