Apprentice & Graduate Engagement Partner - Reading, Berkshire

The Apprentice & Graduate Engagement Partner (AGEP) is a trusted expert within the business, responsible for championing, supporting, and enabling high‑quality apprenticeship and graduate delivery across Thames Water and its supply chain.

Working collaboratively with colleagues at all levels, the AGEP actively promotes our apprenticeship and graduate pathways and acts as a consistent point of contact for apprentices, graduates, and their mentors throughout their entire journey. The AGEP plays a critical role in ensuring each apprentice’s and graduate’s success, providing visible support from pre‑programme engagement, through on‑programme delivery, to post‑programme progression. They take ownership for creating an engaging, purposeful, and well‑structured experience that leads to strong outcomes and sustainable career pathways within Thames Water.

What you’ll be doing as an Apprentice & Graduate Engagement Partner:

• Work with Apprenticeships & Graduates Manager and the team in promoting and delivering our internal apprenticeship offer and appropriate standards to the business.
• Work with Internal stakeholders to include HR consultants, Comms team to ensure this is communicated effectively with the relevant content and opportunities available which translate into apprentice starts.
• Work with the A&G Manager and support the resourcing team to ensure apprentice and graduate intake applications align to roles and annual requirements and to support the delivery of group assessments/interviews and on-boarding for new apprentice intakes both internally & externally.
• Work closely with internal and external stakeholders to ensure that the pre-employment to apprentice start experience is fully supported with clear timelines and expectation and that all requirements are completed in line with company procedures.
• AGEP to ensure all formal reviews that are either one to one or group sessions complement those carried out by the provider and are documented and followed up with evidence of actions and resolutions being recorded and available for audit and evidence.
• Work closely with provider tutor/assessors via regular structured meetings to monitor apprentice progress to understand and be aware of any issues or concerns and to take action and escalate to A&G Manager if appropriate.
• To agree actions on learner progress including – accurate RAG rating and agreed and timely interventions to drive achievement and competence for gateway/end point assessment.
• Delivering on-site tutorials and group workshops where appropriate to encourage apprentice and graduate development ensuring outcomes and impact of the sessions are captured.
• AGEP to ensure Line Manager’s/HR consultant are informed of outcome of reviews to report any health & safety, wellbeing, progress, or safeguarding concerns if identified following a meeting in a timely manner in order to support the apprentice and line manager.
• Work closely with HR consultants and line mentors to inform and support appropriate interventions to minimise leaver non-achievers and ensure apprentices are engaged and productive.
• AGEP to ensure additional pastoral support for those apprentices and graduates who may have come from a disadvantaged background or facing additional barriers.
• This includes ensuring appropriate tailored support for the apprentice is in place, liaising with/educating the Line manager/mentor/team so they can best support.
• Ensure that all Thames Water apprentices and graduates have an assigned mentor and co-ordinate provider mentor training and to further engage and build relationships with apprentice/graduate mentors via check in’s to support both them and the apprentice/graduate through their pathway.
• Co-ordinate Lunch and Learn sessions for internal colleagues for new apprenticeship programmes.
• Take the lead on organising additional learning and development opportunities for apprentices and graduates as per agreed collaborations.
• Co-Ordinate regular internal surveys to fully understand our apprentices’ experience and feedback.
• Celebrate Success – Key role in the co-ordination of annual apprentice/graduate completion events.

What you should bring to the role:

• Experience working with apprentices and understanding of apprenticeship standards, content, delivery and EPA requirements.
• Understand Management Information Systems to be able to demonstrate and monitor progression towards achievement targets.
• Experience in being responsible for own workload, diary management and working independently to tight schedules.
• Knowledge and experience in learner safeguarding and wellbeing.
• Experience of working with external stakeholders and managing day to day relationships.
• Experience of working in the apprenticeships and graduates environment and Ofsted.
• Training knowledge with the ability to design and deliver training at all levels.
• Ability to use own initiative and pay close attention to detail.
• Presentation skills and experience in delivering briefing sessions.

What’s in it for you?

• Competitive salary of £51,245 per annum.
• Annual Leave - 26 days holiday per year increasing to 30 with the length of service (plus bank holidays).
• Performance-related pay plan directly linked to company performance measures and targets.
• Generous Pension Scheme through AON.
• Access to lots of benefits to help you take care of you and your family’s health and wellbeing, and your finances – from annual health MOTs and access to physiotherapy and counselling, to Cycle to Work schemes, shopping vouchers and life assurance.

We’re the UK’s largest water and wastewater company, with more than 16 million customers relying on us every day to supply water for their taps and toilets. We want to build a better future for all, helping our customers, communities, people, and the planet to thrive. It’s a big job and we’ve got a long way to go, so we need help from passionate and skilled people, committed to making a difference and getting us to where we want to be in the years and decades to come.

Thames Water is a unique, rewarding, and diverse place to work, where every day you can make a difference, yet no day is the same. As part of our family, you’ll enjoy meaningful career opportunities, flexible working arrangements and excellent benefits.

If you’re looking for a sustainable and successful career where you can make a daily difference to millions of people’s lives while helping to protect the world of water for future generations, we’ll be here to support you every step of the way. Together, we can build a better future for our customers, our region, and our planet.

We’re committed to being a great, diverse, and inclusive place to work. We welcome applications from everyone and want to ensure you feel supported throughout the recruitment process. If you need any adjustments, whether that’s extra time, accessible formats, or anything else just let us know, we’re here to help and support.