Ministry of Justice

MoJ takes advantage of its Apprenticeship Levy to upskill catering staff

The Ministry of Justice has used its Apprenticeship Levy to upskill staff in catering roles at HMP Wayland and HMP Norwich by offering its staff the opportunity to do the Commis Chef Level 2 Apprenticeship.

MoJ catering managers Neil McTaggart and Judith Thompson turned to the Apprenticeships team at City College Norwich as they sought a creative solution to the challenge they were having recruiting trained staff.

The MoJ has taken advantage of its Apprenticeship Levy funding to upskill existing members of its catering teams, drawing on the expertise of the college’s highly regarded hospitality team. 

Although the immediate priority was resolving a recruitment challenge, the pair have approached it with longer term vision for the ongoing support and development of their staff.

Going down the apprenticeship route has yielded the hoped-for positive results, with the apprentices progressing well within their roles.

To date, two apprentices have successfully completed their qualification, one apprentice is currently on programme, with another two ready to start.

Communication between the college and the employer has been consistently strong, allowing any issues to be quickly resolved.

‘Working with the Ministry of Justice across both sites has been truly inspiring,’ says Apprenticeship Tutor Assessor Carrie-Ann Higgs.

Carrie-Ann continues, ‘Neil, with his warm and approachable nature, always makes time to discuss his apprentices’ progression, sharing his wealth of experience and encouraging them to strive for excellence. 

‘Judith, known for her meticulous attention to detail, ensures that every apprentice feels supported and valued and has a clear vision of the opportunity to progress to higher roles.’

The success of the partnership was recognised at City College Norwich’s Apprenticeship Awards, where the Ministry of Justice was presented with the Apprenticeship Employer of the Year (Large) award.