National Apprenticeship Week 2025 - supporting early careers

This National Apprenticeship Week we’re celebrating our apprentices and T-Levels across the business. Berneslai Homes currently employs twenty apprentices and supports six T-Level placements working in partnership with Barnsley College.

Improving opportunities for training and employment is one of our strategic priorities and we’re proud to support a wide range of early career roles and development opportunities within the housing sector in Barnsley. Our apprenticeships cover areas including trades, support services, human resources, and administration. Students studying T-Levels at Barnsley College have secured placements in human resources, communications and marketing, customer services, and trades including joinery and plumbing, each spending one day a week in the office gaining practical work experience to complement their studies.

We’ve recently launched our new multiskilled apprenticeships, aimed at teaching local people a range of valuable trade skills to provide excellent customer service and meet the needs of tenants. The new apprenticeship proved extremely popular with a total of 174 applications submitted. Of those, 58 attended and took part in a skill building activity before being shortlisted to 26 who were invited to interview. The three successful applicants are now working with us and are about to start their first rotation.  

Participants spend time with experienced mentors to learn skills across a range of professions including plumbing, joinery, bricklaying, and plastering. They gain a qualification and complete a three-year work placement designed to give them real, hands-on experience while helping to build long-lasting career skills. During their time with us, multiskilled apprentices will learn to deliver a range of repairs and maintenance services to tenants, helping to create a more efficient service and reducing wait times for some repairs.

Once completed, each apprentice will gain a Property Maintenance Level 2 qualification and have the necessary work experience to progress to the next stage of their career.

Our highly competitive apprenticeships are open to anyone aged 16 or older, with no upper age limit. Through practical, on-the-job experience and formal training, they offer an exciting career pathway for those looking to build a future working in housing in areas like construction, property management, and corporate services.

Arturo Gulla, Executive Director of Property Services at Berneslai Homes, said: “Starting as an apprentice plumber gave me the hands-on experience and knowledge to grow professionally. It’s more than just learning a trade - it’s about developing confidence and skills like communication and teamwork which are important in all jobs. I’m looking forward to seeing our three multiskilled apprentices thrive in their new roles and deliver great services to tenants.”

Click here to view our short film about apprenticeships in housing. 

Click here to view our current job vacancies or to sign up for a job alert.