Priory scoops coveted apprenticeship award

• The Priory Group, the mental healthcare specialists, was praised for beating stiff competition from other companies
• It has more than 700 employees on apprenticeship programmes, and the figure is growing

The UK’s leading independent mental healthcare provider has won ‘Macro Employer of the Year’ at a ceremony which celebrates the role of apprenticeships in organisations. The Qube Awards 2019 is the third annual award ceremony hosted by Qube Learning.

The Priory Group was chosen for the prestigious accolade from strong competition from four other finalists.

Gary McIntosh, Head of Learning and Development at the Priory Group, said: “To be part of a company which promotes so much training and development is a real privilege. I feel really proud that we have gained external recognition for our work in this area.”

The Priory Group was selected following its success in getting colleagues onto apprenticeship programmes, and helping those already enrolled to gain and improve key work skills.

Out of a workforce of around 20,000, the Priory Group currently has over 700 employees on apprenticeship programmes. Qube Learning, a leading training provider, helps provide apprenticeship programmes for almost 300 colleagues in the organisation.

The Qube Learning Awards ceremony was hosted by Olympic medallist Colin Jackson CBE.

The event took place in central London, on 16 May.

Joe Crossley, Chief Executive Officer at Qube Learning, said: “Considering the competition you were up against, and how far you have come in such a short time, this is just rewards”.

Carel Strydom, Career and Apprenticeship Manager at the Priory Group, said, “To get national recognition for what we offer to colleagues is an honour.”

Abbi Cooper, an apprentice in Priory’s IT department in Bristol, was also awarded runner-up in the Young Apprentice category at the Qube Learning Awards.

At the award ceremony, Colin Jackson said: “In my youth, I was unsure of what I wanted to do but I found sport and I knew I had discovered something that would get me out of bed every day. It became my driving force, passion and obsession. I have encountered many challenges along the way and know what it is to find the will to stay strong and succeed, and that is why I believe in what Qube Learning do. They help individuals look to a bright and full of hope, encourage positive life changing choices and self-belief whilst students train on Apprenticeship and Traineeship programmes.

“With so many incredible stories, I really see the positive impact of Apprenticeship and Traineeships and I hope it motivates people to consider these rewarding education routes, I wholeheartedly champion this way of learning. It can help create opportunities that can carve out positive paths for people that never thought that possible. Dreams really can become reality with the right guidance and mentoring, and Qube Learning certainly provides that.”

ENDS

Contact: [email protected]

About Priory and MEDIAN

Priory is the UK’s leading independent provider of mental health services. We treat more than 70 conditions, including depression, anxiety, addictions and eating disorders, as well as children’s mental health, across our nationwide network of sites. We also support autistic adults and adults with a learning disability, Prader-Willi Syndrome and brain injuries, as well as older people, within our specialist residential care and supported living facilities – helping as many people as possible to live their lives.

Priory is part of the MEDIAN Group, one of Europe’s leading providers of high quality mental health and rehabilitation services. The MEDIAN Group comprises 290 facilities with 5,000 beds caring for 28,000 people in the UK, 120 facilities with 20,000 beds caring for around 250,000 patients in Germany, and 15 facilities with 2,000 beds caring for 13,000 people in Spain, with more than 29,000 employees overall.