Evri launches skills academy in partnership with Barnsley College

Evri – the UK’s biggest dedicated parcel delivery company – has collaborated with Barnsley College to establish the Evri Academy, supporting a variety of apprenticeship opportunities across multiple disciplines for local people over the lifetime of the partnership.

Located at Barnsley College’s Old Mill Lane campus, the academy will offer training and support for apprentices in crucial logistics roles and induct them into Evri’s processes and values.

The objective of the academy is to provide students with practical experience and the skills necessary to prepare them for a promising career in the warehousing and logistics industry, with careers ranging from operatives to robot technologists to senior leadership and management positions.

Apprentices will gain work experience at Evri’s new automated parcel distribution hub, the largest of its kind in Europe, which represents a £60million investment in Barnsley.

At the launch, representatives from Evri and Barnsley College emphasised the importance of developing more logistics managers and promoting logistics as an engaging and viable career path to the next generation.

David Akeroyd, Deputy Principal for Development and Productivity at Barnsley College, said:

“The Evri Academy is the latest in our partnership strategy, which offers our students and the wider Barnsley community the opportunity to develop their skills and gain valuable experience whilst working towards a tangible role in a thriving industry.

“Through our collaboration with Evri, we will support candidates to embark on a fulfilling career in logistics and inspire them to go on to bigger and better things – made possible as a result of Evri’s investment in Barnsley and the progression this affords.

Sara McLaughlin, HR Business Partner at Evri, added:

“We’re proud that our roots can be traced back to Yorkshire in 1974, so being part of the Barnsley community is very important to us.

“The Evri Academy demonstrates our commitment to investing in the next generation and supporting the communities in which we operate.

“We are excited to help develop the talents of young people and provide them with the opportunity to contribute to the logistics industry. We know that they are our future workforce and will become managers and skilled operatives which are crucial to our growth.”

Conor Clark, a Level 2 Express Delivery Sortation Hub Operative Apprentice with Evri, said:

“Before this I was in a part time job for five years and I wanted to get a job where I could learn and climb the ladder. I love this job. It’s a place where I can progress and be ambitious. For anyone thinking about joining, I’d say you have to take that leap of faith and commit to doing something completely different.”