Quadrupling the Savills apprentice headcount: 226 and counting
Posted on: 10 February, 2025
“My manager always says I don’t blow my trumpet enough, but I feel lucky to be doing something that I truly love, and I just want to make a difference for people.”
Name: Serena Phillips
Company: Savills
Serena Phillips knows first-hand what it takes to grow a successful company apprenticeship scheme. When she joined Savills in 2021, her team looked after 50 apprentices. Today, that number is 226, with no signs of slowing down on the horizon.
The company’s apprentices operate across a range of disciplines, but “pretty much everybody who does surveying is enrolled at UCEM. They’re our main provider for built environment apprenticeships and our first port of call”.
Supporting the transition
Serena is highly knowledgeable when it comes to running a successful apprenticeship scheme. Apprentices at Savills go through their own induction process, in addition to the general company induction for all new starters. This is focused on helping them make the transition from the school environment to the workplace, and they receive follow-up support throughout the first year to help them adapt to life as an apprentice.
“It can be quite daunting coming from school into the corporate world. School is very, very structured. You’re told what time to come in, when you can have your lunch, what you need to wear and all of that. Then you come into the work environment and it’s not so clear. You’re kind of left to plan your day how you see fit. We realised we needed to put some support in place to help people do that effectively.”
New apprentices undertake a suite of soft skills training, and their managers are provided with a guide to help them provide the ongoing practical support that apprentices need in order to succeed.
Good communication
Making sure there are plenty of touchpoints is another important part of the apprenticeship programme at Savills, and it’s something Serena values in the company’s relationship with UCEM:
“Having a good relationship with providers is key. Strong communication and nipping any issues in the bud early on really helps the apprentice’s journey.”
Tech-savvy apprentices
One of the big benefits of bringing in so many apprentices in recent years is the fresh ideas they put forward, particularly when it comes to technology.
“We have people in our business that have been here for 20 or 30 years, and even though they’re still really passionate about what they do, there’s a huge advantage in bringing in younger people who question the way we do things. Ultimately, having such a diverse age range is of huge benefit to the business.”
Improving EDI
Working to change people’s perceptions of Savills is a big passion of Serena’s. “We do a lot of outreach. We go into schools and talk to people and let them know that if you’re from a disadvantaged background or a global majority background that yes, you can come and work at Savills.”
The best people to spread this message are the apprentices: “Nobody sells an apprenticeship programme better than the ones who are already doing it,” says Serena. In addition to promoting the company’s apprentice scheme, Savills also offers in-person and virtual work experience, and the company conducts blind screening of all applications to eliminate any unconscious bias.
Serena was instrumental in introducing lower-level apprenticeships at Savills as a way of offering opportunities to people who didn’t have the qualifications to study at the higher levels. “Some of those people have actually gone on to do the access modules at UCEM to get onto the degree programme – so there is a trajectory there for them.”
Top tips for setting up an apprenticeship scheme
What advice would Serena give to a peer who was interested in setting up an apprenticeship scheme for their company?
“I’d say definitely go for it, but start small. You want to get it right before going out all guns blazing because it takes a lot to run an effective, successful apprenticeship programme.”
Serena points out that apprentices need more support than graduates, due to often being only 17 or 18 and having less educational experience. However, she says that “when you get it right it’s so rewarding. Seeing an apprentice through that journey is just phenomenal.”
Employer Representative award nomination
How does Serena feel about her nomination in the Employer Representative (Large Employer) category at the UCEM Built Environment Apprenticeship Awards?
“My manager always says I don’t blow my trumpet enough, but I feel lucky to be doing something that I truly love, and I just want to make a difference for people.”
