Starbucks UK Celebrates Five Years of Apprenticeship Programme
‘As I was doing my GCSEs, I got really poorly and really stressed out over exams. I decided I couldn’t do it for A-Levels, and that it just wasn’t for me.’ Courtney Daniels, an apprentice at Starbucks London Support Centre, recalls the challenges and anxiety she experienced at the end of her school exams. At the time she knew she wanted to explore a career in IT, but given the struggles she was coming up against, she wasn’t sure this would be possible.
Today at the age of 17, Courtney joins 42 of her fellow Starbucks partners (employees) at a ceremony at London’s Millbank Tower to mark the apprenticeship graduation ceremony. She now holds a Level 3 diploma in IT and works in the IT team at Starbucks head office.
In the UK, there are 800,000 young people aged 16-24 who qualify as NEET (not in education, employment or training). As a company globally committed to helping promote pathways to opportunity for all people, Starbucks UK set out to address this problem five years ago, introducing its Apprenticeship Programme in June 2012. Through this industry-leading programme, Starbucks recruits, trains and retains young talent for the business – while partners earn qualifications up to Level 6, as well as transferable skills needed to further their individual goals.
This June, Starbucks Apprenticeship Programme celebrates its fifth anniversary, and the company is celebrating the 850 partners who have graduated their apprenticeship with a qualification since then, as well as more than 1,300 partners who have started apprenticeships.
To mark the occasion, Carol Muldoon, vice president of partner resources – and architect of the programme – said, ‘It’s been an incredible journey these past five years, and I couldn’t be prouder of our partners who are graduating today – as well as all of those who have come before them. Years ago, we realised that investments in programmes like our Apprenticeship Scheme are a win-win for everyone. Not only are we helping create long-term opportunity and meaningful careers for our people, but we’re also growing the future leaders who will continue to build the success of our future business.’
In fact, 20 per cent of Starbucks partners who have completed an apprenticeship have been promoted at Starbucks, and many have begun a second qualification under the programme.
Giuseppe Mauriello, who’s better known to his fellow partners as Peppe, is one of these partners. Peppe joined Starbucks as a barista when he was 19. Knowing little about coffee and not sure what he wanted to do with his career, Peppe found out about the Apprenticeship Programme.
‘When I started, I thought it would take me a couple of years [to be promoted],’ said Peppe, who is now 23 and a store manager. ‘But then in reality, it only took me one year, because of the apprenticeship. It’s mind-blowing when you think you’re 23 and you’re leading a team! Wow.’
After completing his Level 2 diploma in retail management, Peppe stands up with his fellow partners to receive his Level 3 certificate at today’s graduation in London. He has already begun work on his Level 4.
At Starbucks UK, 80 per cent of the young people who start apprenticeships complete their full diploma and remain in the business, and 11 per cent of the company’s full-time baristas and supervisors are undertaking an apprenticeship.
The UK government’s goal is to create three million more apprenticeships by 2020, and following the success of its programme, Starbucks last year announced plans to expand its commitment to providing apprenticeships for its UK partners.