A national wealth management specialist with a century of heritage on Tyneside is reaping the benefits of investing in apprenticeships
A fast-growing company with 29 offices across the UK, Channel Islands and Ireland, Brewin Dolphin has spent more than one hundred years serving the North East business community. Last year the firm unveiled plans to develop a pipeline of new skills that could support its expansion across the region, and so teamed up with Gateshead College in a bid to achieve this goal.
Together the two organisations created an apprenticeship training programme, which is improving the skills base of Brewin Dolphin’s employees and helping the business become more competitive and able to meet future challenges. Eleven business administration apprentices have been enrolled on a two-year training programme designed to equip them with a range of skills needed to establish a career in the industry.
Not only is the programme benefiting the apprentices by giving them a sound understanding of the financial services sector, it’s also part of Brewin Dolphin’s long-term plan to future-proof its business.
It's encouraging that Brewin Dolphin and other companies recognise the value of apprenticeships.
Ivan Jepson, Gateshead College Robert Irving, head of Newcastle business support at Brewin Dolphin, said: “Succession planning is hugely important to us. It’s vital that we nurture new talent. The 11 apprentices have brought fresh insights and perspectives to the table, and the apprenticeship training programme is supporting their development and our business goals. “We chose Gateshead College because they took the time to really understand our business and future aims and aspirations. The apprenticeship training programme has been designed to support the growth plans of our Newcastle office, and this is helping us to consolidate our position as a trusted investment and wealth management company in the North East.”
The apprentices are undergoing on-the-job training within various departments of Brewin Dolphin’s Newcastle-based business support function, where they’re gaining an overall understanding of the business and developing specific competencies in finance operations, IT, administration and the financial services regulatory environment. They are also benefiting from a mentoring scheme, where experienced Brewin Dolphin employees assist them through their apprenticeship programme.
Brewin Dolphin’s Newcastle office offers an extensive range of investment management advice spanning portfolio creation, ISAs and other taxefficient investments, charity fund management, pensions and inheritance tax. A qualified and experienced financial planning team also helps clients to plan and manage their long-term financial needs.
Brewin Dolphin is one of more than 400 North East companies, including SMEs and large multinationals, that work with Gateshead College to deliver apprenticeship training programmes.
Ivan Jepson, director of business development at Gateshead College, said: “It’s encouraging that Brewin Dolphin and other companies recognise the value of apprenticeships. This form of training is a fantastic way for firms to develop their future workforce, increase efficiency and offer exciting career progression opportunities for the next generation.
“Gateshead College will continue to help businesses develop and deliver apprenticeship programmes that enable them to become more agile, productive and competitive both now and in the future.”
To find out more about Gateshead College and the courses on offer, visit www.gateshead.ac.uk/employer