In his role as Head of People – Impellam Project Services, Paul Callery works closely with teams across our business – including the Scientific Functional Service Provision team at Synergy – to help guide our people through their career journey with us, and take their skills and experience to the next level.
Here he talks us through why this is so important, and specifically the role that apprenticeships have in driving immediate and long-term development.
The Value of Continuous Learning
We realise the importance of always looking forward to what’s to come in the days, weeks, months and even years ahead. It may sound cliché, but if you’re standing still and not moving with the times, you’re not going to be prepared for the future – on an individual and business-wide level. And before you know it vital changes and developments within your industry will have passed you by.
That’s why continuous learning and development, and investing in people growth, is so important in providing short-term value for people within their roles and promoting and creating long-term career progression too. What’s more, by strengthening individual capabilities, we’re shaping and safeguarding the services – and quality of service – we provide to our clients.
Within Synergy Scientific Services, at the heart of our commitment to investing in employee growth are our high-quality apprenticeships – initiatives that are vital to providing opportunities for practical, ‘hands-on’ experience-based learning and further development of skills and knowledge.
Apprenticeship Opportunities with Synergy Scientific Services
The apprenticeships we offer to our people at Synergy are designed to build skills and experiences across the scientific space, including data analysis, bioscience degrees, lab technician roles, and people leadership.
Each and every Synergy apprentice is provided with the time, support and guidance needed to expand their expertise while contributing more effectively to the work they do every day.
We put emphasis on developing critical skills that are vital for building and thriving in a successful career within the scientific sector – skills that are highly sort after. Combining skill building with ‘on the job’ experience creates
These are critical skills that are required for a successful career in the scientific industry, and skills that are highly sought after. Combining these skills with the 'on the job' experience creates a fantastic well-rounded individual who is then in a wonderful position to kick on in their careers
Benefits of Synergy Apprenticeships
Synergy apprenticeships support skills development in existing roles and also offer an alternative pathway to traditional higher education.
Additionally, our people can ‘earn while they learn’, so not only are they able to gain practical, hands-on experience, but can do so whilst earning a living rather than taking on the burden of student loan debt. This puts them in a great position to kickstart a successful, sustainable career.
To ensure they thrive, all apprentices benefit from dedicated mentorship and regular coaching sessions, equipping them with the tools to balance their workload and maximise their potential. These sessions focus on critical thinking, problem-solving, and professional growth, helping our apprentices develop into confident, capable professionals who can drive innovation within Synergy and for our clients.
Success Stories and Client Feedback
It is amazing to see our people progressing and leading the way in their areas and knowing that our apprenticeships have an important role in this.
We have received some fantastic feedback from those who are benefitting from our apprenticeships, and from our clients who have highlighted the impact that our people are having on their operations.
Team Leader Amer Gerges and QC Lab Technician James Brears are both working at a Global Biopharma Company – a client of Synergy Scientific Services – as part of their apprenticeship. Here's what they had to say about their experiences so far:
Quote from Amer Gerges
“I have been very pleased with my apprenticeship experience with Synergy. My journey began with completing a Leadership Skills training programme, and developing a bespoke PDP that outlined my objectives and the key areas for development needed to gain the skills and knowledge required to grow in my role and career.
“Following coaching conversations with my line manager and the Head of People, it was agreed that a People Professional apprenticeship would be the most suitable programme to help me achieve the objectives outlined in my PDP. Synergy supported me in finding a high-quality training provider at a relevant level for my background and experience and enrolled me on the apprenticeship programme.
“Although there were some initial challenges in balancing the schedule of workshops, study time and my daily work commitments, Synergy has been flexible and supportive in accommodating this. My line manager has provided the necessary support to ensure my apprenticeship is successful and has been willing to offer direct support to my team if needed.
“I started my apprenticeship two months ago, and so far, I have gained in-depth knowledge of the role of people professionals across various areas, including the employee lifecycle from attraction to retention, the impact of AI, employee wellbeing and good work, supporting teams through change, and the integration of strategy to achieve the organisation’s overall goals. This knowledge will enable me to approach different challenges in my role with the right mindset and resources.
“Synergy’s Head of People is my apprenticeship mentor and has previously supported me with various people-related challenges. We have also worked together on implementing key projects such as Frontline Forums and the Capability Mapping Framework, which will help me gain the knowledge, skills, and behaviours (KSB) required to successfully complete my apprenticeship.”
Quote from James Brears
"My apprenticeship has been a fantastic experience so far and for me personally has been a brilliant alternative to university. To be able to gain industry experience in a world class pharmaceutical company has been invaluable and I feel I now have an in depth knowledge principles such as GMP and right first time.
"As I approach completion of my first year, I have reflected back on all the opportunities I have had. I was selected to complete the train the trainer course which has been a real boost for my development as I am now training new starters in my team, and my role has allowed me to become a STEM ambassador, meaning I can go to STEM events at schools and learning centres to help inspire the next generation into STEM careers.
"Synergy has been a big support in my apprenticeship journey so far, especially my line manager, who has regular 1-1’s with me to discuss my training and personal development plan, and they also attend my university check-ins which occur every 10 weeks to make sure I am on track with balancing my studies against full time work."
