Apprentice Wellbeing Hub launched

An Apprentice Wellbeing Hub has been launched today to support apprentices’ mental health and wellbeing.

The free resource, launched by 1st for EPA, is the first of its kind aimed solely at apprentices. It combines resources to support apprentices through challenges in their apprenticeship, answer common apprentice questions, and provide direction on where to find further support. There’s even a link to a free mental health support service for apprentices, offered by Maximus and funded by the Department for Work and Pensions.

Managing Director Helen Shinner said, “I’m so pleased to launch our Wellbeing Hub today after months of hard work. We don’t claim to be experts on mental health and wellbeing, but we do want to champion these key topics. We want to empower apprentices to take control of their wellbeing and be able to deal with tough situations when they arise.

“There’s a lot of mental health and wellbeing resources available from reputable sources, and these are invaluable. I want the hub to complement these, and directly address some of the challenges that are unique to apprentices.”

The Apprentice Wellbeing Hub includes videos and articles such as:

• Advocating for yourself at work
• Living on an apprentice wage
• The support available to prepare for end point assessment (EPA)

There’s also guidance aimed at training providers and employers, including how to create an inclusive workplace and how employers can support apprentice wellbeing.

Research published in 2022 by St Martins Group, in partnership with the Learning and Work Institute, showed that the number one reason for apprentice non-completion was lack of employer support. A huge 37 per cent of apprentices surveyed cited this reason. Government data shows that only 53 per cent of apprentices on standards stayed on their programme until their EPA in 2020/21 – meaning that 47 per cent dropped out.

Helen continued, “At 1st for EPA, we’re always innovating to make the apprentice experience the best it can be. I didn’t want to restrict our Hub to only those apprentices undergoing EPA with us. I wanted it to be available for anyone to benefit from, and a tool that all providers can use to support apprentices and increase completions.”

The Wellbeing Hub can be found here. It will be updated regularly, and providers and employers are welcome to link to it from their own website to support their apprentices and employers.

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1st for EPA is known for its supportive approach to EPA. It assesses a range of standards, from business admin and data, to marketing and content creator. More information can be found on 1st for EPA’s website.