Peabody
Lyreco Young Apprentice Programme – Supporting the Future Workforce
Partner Case Study: Lyreco Young Apprentice Programme – Supporting the Future Workforce
The Lyreco Young Apprentice Programme, in partnership with Peabody Community Foundation, was designed to help students in London learn more about the world of work and help raise their aspirations for the future.
Peabody has more than 150 years of history, experience and expertise as one of the oldest and largest housing associations in London. Its programmes support people in gaining the skills and capabilities needed to access employment opportunities. With Peabody’s expertise in working with young people and Lyreco’s wide industry experience, the programme provided an opportunity to develop the students’ work skills, climb the ladder and identify which career path best suits their skillset and personalities.
The first Lyreco Young Apprentice Programme ran in 2020. Here is an overview of what it entailed:
Stage One – Selection Day
The programme began with an application process put together carefully to ensure the selected students would get the most out of the career experience. The form consisted of questions such as ‘describe a time where you demonstrated the Lyreco value of passion’, ‘where you demonstrated the Lyreco value of respect’ and finally, ‘where do you see yourself in five years’. Lyreco received 20 applications and invited them all to The Lyreco Young Apprentice Programme’s selection day.
The selection day was designed to understand more about those who applied for the programme. The day consisted of group interviews, discussions and playing PackTyping – a psychometric-based game that reveals self-awareness, esteem and confidence. This was a great tool to get a real understanding of the students’ different behaviours, strengths and personality traits. It also showed how their personality type might fit best in the workplace and the type of role they will most enjoy. The day concluded with the selection of eight successful applicants to proceed to the next stage of the process.
Stage Two – Sales & Marketing Skills
The second stage of the programme was a Sales and Marketing workshop. The workshop provided a chance for the students to learn more about a career in sales. The eight successful applicants were split into groups of two and took part in the full sales journey, from prospecting the client right through to closing the final sale.
The sales career workshop was designed to not only show the students the life of work in a sales and marketing environment, but also aid in their development. The assignments encouraged the students to develop skills such as problem solving, tactfulness and being able to identify opportunities within sales conversations.
Stage Three – Lyreco Head Office Visit
Finally, the selected students had the opportunity to visit Lyreco HQ. The day started with an introduction to the Marketing Department and Customer Services, which gave the students the opportunity to see real-life interactions with customers and get a true understanding of the way the business environment works. They were also introduced to the onsite Eco Garden and the creation of the Lyreco insect hotel and, had a tour of the National Distribution Centre and Lyreco’s People and Culture department.
The day ended with inspirational speeches from several Lyreco team members who shared their own personal career journeys with the students.
The partnership between the two companies doesn’t end here. Lyreco and Peabody are planning to expand the scheme to more schools on a more frequent basis each year, with hopes to help more young people experience the world of work.
