Employing and developing the right people is the the key to success in any FM business and apprenticeships is a fundamental part of that strategy.

Those of you who are familiar with Q3 will know that our company name directly reflects our company values. The three Qs represent Quality people, Quality service and Quality workplaces, and are the foundation of our value proposition. These three values are totally intertwined of course, because without quality people Q3 can never expect to deliver quality services or create quality workplaces.

That’s why we place such great emphasis on finding the right people and creating the kind of environment where they can develop and flourish, both professionally and personally. Our apprenticeship programme is an important part of that strategy, providing the seed corn for the next generation of quality Q3 people.

Q3 currently has six apprentices who have taken the steps to further develop themselves within the sector and pursue their career aspirations. Although we are an FM business where you might expect the focus to be on trade apprenticeships, we have quite a diverse spread of apprenticeships in non-traditional areas, including HR, Finance, Sales and Team Leadership. We’re constantly encouraging employees to consider apprenticeships and have two new additions joining in the new Year.

Over the next few weeks, we will be celebrating the progress of the individuals who are part of our apprenticeship programme, to discover what they are gaining from the investment and how it is helping their career progression. We will also be talking to some of the managers and clients involved, to understand their roles in supporting the people in the programme. The consensus is that the apprenticeships have not only broadened the knowledge of the participants, but also boosted their confidence and independence, allowing them to accept greater responsibility, challenge the status quo and seek out more innovative solutions in their day-to-day activities.

First up, will be Paul Courtney who is pursuing the CIPD Level 5 Associate Diploma in People Management qualification.