Digital apprenticeships that build a workforce from within

Success story: RDT

Summary:

  • Partner: RDT
  • Sector: Private, technology company
  • Challenges: Needing to attract top talent from a small pool of people with the right skills in a competitive sector
  • Solution: Digital and Technology Solutions Professional Degree Apprenticeships through The Open University (OU)
  • Outcome: Internal candidates upskilled and a talent pipeline has been created.

Background: Recruitment challenges for digital roles

RDT - a company that develops innovative insurance software solutions - has always tried to apply that innovation to itself, with a desire to hire the best people.

This is often challenging, due to the competitiveness of the sector and lack of skilled people.

However, RDT tackled these challenges by building its own skilled workforce, using the degree apprenticeships from The Open University as a way to do this.

By hiring people on the apprenticeship programme, it allows us to structure their learning along with their growth within the business. So what they’re learning at work feeds into what they’re learning at university, and what they’re learning on the programme benefits us as well.

Fiona Mason,
HR Director, RDT

Degree apprenticeships attract new employees

Phoebe Chapman had already decided she wanted a role with a degree apprenticeship attached, which led her to find RDT and enrol on the OU’s Digital and Technology Solutions Professional Degree Apprenticeship.

This completely suited her needs for learning that was also practical and work based.

Obviously, the work experience you get whilst doing the apprenticeship is vital, especially given how competitive jobs are these days. You can apply that learning from the apprenticeship to your job.

Phoebe Chapman,
Digital and Technology Solutions apprenticeship graduate, RDT

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Learning that goes beyond competency

One thing RDT has experienced with their apprentices working on the Digital and Technology Solutions programme is not only the progression they have with learning skills, but also how they grow in confidence and become more and more independent.

It’s just so brilliant to see someone starting off – basically as a blank sheet – and growing into someone who is so well respected in their team, someone who has such ability and is someone that people will go to for advice.

Andy Foster,
Senior Release Engineer and mentor for apprentices, RDT

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Conclusion: Apprenticeships that benefit everyone

RDT has several employees taking the Digital and Technology Solutions Professional Degree Apprenticeship, along with others who have completed it.

They believe what benefits the apprentices feed directly into helping them address the digital skills gap, recruit the right people and importantly retain them.

I think it’s one of the things that gives me the most pleasure in my job. Seeing people achieving what they want to achieve, growing and developing and moving on within the organisation and taking on new roles.

Fiona Mason
HR Director, RDT

Let's solve your skills challenge together

The Open University has a dedicated team of employer and partnership managers who can work with you to upskill and reskill your teams via a range of courses and programmes.

Whether you are a new business or an established employer, our team has a wealth of sector expertise and experience and can link you with our wider academic community to help to solve your organisation's challenges.

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