Apprentice Development
The AstraZeneca (AZ) apprenticeship programme covers a wide range of apprenticeships to ensure that AZ apprentices’ benefit from a unique opportunity to learn and work in a Global company alongside industry experts. AZ are a huge advocate for early careers across various departments and support their apprentices to fulfil their individual potential.
Having provided a variety of learning and development programmes for AZ over many years The Oakridge Centre are pleased to partner with AZ on the design and delivery of 2 key additional personal development modules which are delivered alongside their multiple apprenticeship programmes.
Setting the Scene
- Annually a cohort of apprentices across a range of different disciplines (including scientific, supply chain, quality, IT, manufacturing, engineering, HR etc) attend a comprehensive development programme to prepare them for their work within AZ.
- The Oakridge Centre has concentrated on the following development programme areas: -
- Effective behaviours and communication plus active listening and building rapport
- Time and self-management plus being resilient
- Assertiveness, collaboration, and networking
- Presentation Skills – designing, delivering, and receiving feedback on great presentations
- Due to the COVID pandemic recent development programmes have been delivered virtually through a whole cohort launch event and then sessions in groups of 10-11.
Due to the Covid pandemic recent development programmes have been delivered virtually through a whole cohort launch event and then sessions in groups of 10-11.
High Quality Learning Experience
- A dedicated team of 5 Senior Associates for The Oakridge Centre deliver the modules with 2 facilitators running each session, ensuring that group work and breakout sessions are well managed and the sessions are engaging
- Pre work (watch, read and listen resources) and tailored questionnaires are completed ahead of each session with follow on work to be completed between sessions
- An interactive and engaging launch session is co-ordinated for the entire group. The launch session includes facilitated break out groups focussing on:
- Managing yourself in a virtual environment
- Understanding your learning style and how to get the most out of your apprenticeship.
- Sessions of circa 3 hours (to avoid Zoom-fatigue) involve interaction, group-work and application of topics covered plus time for action planning and linking the content back to the workplace environment
- Interactive, experiential, and memorable learning is key which helps to build a network across the entire apprentice development programme
The Oakridge Centre Feedback
"It is an honour to work with apprentices at the beginning of their career journey with AZ as we are able to not only provide them with essential knowledge and tools for their future careers, but also the confidence to apply their learning, to practice techniques they have learnt and the opportunity to feedback on their experiences. Our in-depth understanding and appreciation of the AZ culture and experience we have gained through our own careers means we know both what our client needs and what the apprentices need. Our interactive delivery style means we learn new things too every time we work with the apprentices.”
Robbie Lightfoot, Senior Associate
AstraZeneca Feedback
"We are very proud of our AstraZeneca apprenticeship programme and, in particular, the development support modules delivered by The Oakridge Centre team. The learning from these modules have proved to be a key support to all our new apprentices as they make the transition from education into the workplace. Oakridge have worked with us to design and deliver these bespoke development sessions which support our apprentices building learning foundations which will empower them to thrive throughout their journey with us.”
Tracey Hoey, UK Apprentice Programme Partner