Arco in UK top 10 for family businesses on apprentices

IN THE RIGHT PLACE: Arco apprentices during a recent visit to Sirius Academy West

By Simon Bristow

Arco has been named among the top 10 family businesses in the UK for employing apprentices and promoting apprenticeships for professional development.

The fifth-generation family business received the ranking as part of a list compiled by Family Business United, the global voice of the family business community, which rated Arco as number 10 in the country as part of its report for 2022 looking at the number of apprentices in the family business sector.

The list consists of a range of companies, including JCT600, JCB, Portakabin Ltd, and Hodgkinson Builders.

Those who made it to the top 10 represent the best in terms of the number of apprentices, the creation of new apprenticeships, and the number of apprentices completing and graduating from their apprenticeship programmes.

Arco currently has ten apprentices at the business, working in a variety of areas, including finance, digital, customer services and safety, health and environment, as well as eight new apprentices that started this year.

Darren Ford, Head of Organisational Development and Learning and Development at Arco, said: “As a fifth-generation family business, we are incredibly proud to feature in the Family Business United list of family business apprentice employers.

“Over the past five years, we have built up our Future Experts programme and have seen 34 apprenticeships completed and 29 that are ongoing. Plans are also in place for a further 30.

“Helping to nurture future talent and further develop the knowledge and skills of our colleagues plays an important role in the future aspirations of the business and will support our ambitions for growth in the future.

“We’re seeing a greater uptake from a broader range of business areas now, so I’m very excited to see both our internal and external apprentice numbers grow over these coming months and years.”

Paul Andrews, Founder and CEO of Family Business United, said: “Family businesses are innovative and entrepreneurial, and it is great to see so many providing apprenticeships within their organisations.

“This inaugural report has clearly demonstrated the commitment of family firms like Arco, who continue to invest in the next generation of their staff and provide apprenticeship opportunities in various areas of the business. 

“Arco is a great family business with a long history which, in part, is down to the continued innovation and evolution of their business. It is great to give recognition to a business that continues to create new opportunities and innovative ways to engage with the next generation of employees, providing them with great career opportunities.”

You can read more about the history of Arco in our exclusive feature here.