Michele Bickerton, Thomas Dudley Ltd: How benchmarking has benefitted our Apprenticeship scheme

Name: Michele Bickerton
Position: People & Development Director
Company: Thomas Dudley Ltd

How has benchmarking as part of the Engineering Apprenticeships: Best Practice Programme benefitted you?

Benchmarking as part of the Engineering Apprenticeships: Best Practice Programme has benefited us because it makes you think about where you are at. We can always think that we are doing the best we can, but when you look at the benchmarking questions and answer them honestly, you can identify gaps. It does make you stop and think, which is a really good thing to do.

Do you believe your Apprenticeships Scheme has improved since you have been involved in the Programme?

Our Apprenticeship Scheme has definitely benefited from the Programme. Because we’ve benchmarked and we are looking at what we can do better, we are doing a lot more for our Apprentices.

How will having the Make UK Engineering Apprenticeships: Employer Kitemark benefit your company?

Having the Make UK Engineering Apprenticeships ‘Excellent Employer’ Kitemark status is more than just using the logo, it also means that we can tell a story.

Our Apprentices are just brilliant, they work so hard, and they are our future. From an internal point of view, our Apprentices and Managers can see that we are getting recognition from it and are committed to it.

Would you recommend other Engineering companies join the Engineering Apprenticeships: Best Practice Programme – and if so, why?

I would definitely recommend other businesses join the Engineering Apprenticeships: Best Practice Programme. If you approach self-reflecting of your Apprenticeship Scheme via benchmarking openly and honestly it will help you to identify what you are doing well, what you can do more of and what you can do better.

“It will help you to identify what you are doing well, what you can do more of and what you can do better”