Howdens Celebrates Apprentices At Milestone Graduation Ceremony

Howdens, the UK’s number one trade kitchen supplier, has held a graduation ceremony to honour 215 apprentices at the NCC in Birmingham, who completed their apprenticeship in 2022, a record for the business. 

The award-winning apprenticeship programme covers roles across much of its business including within its network of over 800 depots, logistics, manufacturing, engineering and IT.

Howdens also achieved 34^th in this year’s Top 100 Apprentice Employers table 2023.

Graduates from across Scotland, England and Wales celebrated with their friends and family, with the ceremony hosted by two former apprentices, and talks from Howdens’ Chief Executive Officer, Andrew Livingston, Regional Director Wales and West, Tim Mason, and Operations Director, Julian Lee. 

Since 2009, Howdens has employed over 4,300 apprentices. Currently one in twelve Howdens’ employees started out as an apprentice, and of the programme completions last year, almost 80% of graduates remained in the business in a permanent role. 

Image : Howdens' July 2023 apprentice graduates

Emma Leech, Early Careers Manager, Howdens, said: “We are delighted to have been able to honour our apprentices at the graduation ceremony. At Howdens we are very proud of the graduates and our apprenticeship programme. We know it is the ideal way to develop people and to prepare them for a happy, productive, and rewarding career. 

We find new staff who understand our special way of working and contribute to the continued growth of our business.  Our commitment is to ensure our apprentices feel valued, secure, and in a position to make a long term career at Howdens. From the first day’s training, right through to the integration into the workplace, our apprentices receive a warm welcome from our teams who have a genuine passion for their role and the business.”

Howdens’ founding principle is to make its business worthwhile for all concerned, which Is why it works in partnership with carefully selected Apprenticeship Training Providers, enabling it to provide the highest possible standard of training. An apprenticeship is an excellent foundation for a career with Howdens, and many apprentices have gone on to achieve success in specialist roles.

Howdens has opened up over 100 apprenticeship vacancies in its depots across the UK to be filled across the summer. For more information about apprenticeship opportunities within Howdens, please visit: https://careers.howdens.com/our-teams/apprenticeships.

Source : Howdens

Main image : L-R Tim Mason – Regional Director Wales & West; Andrew Livingston – CEO; Vicky Cuff – Depot Manager; Caitlan Saunders – Trade Counter Sales Person; James Salt – Assistant Depot Manager; Emma Cade – Appliance Aftersales Manager; Julian Lee – Operations Director. The 4 panel speakers in the photo are all former apprentices.

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