YPO apprenticeships – shaping brighter futures
Enabling young people to launch rewarding careers and shape a brighter future - YPO’s apprenticeship framework is going from strength to strength.
With over 20,000 products and 100 frameworks, YPO considers its apprenticeship framework essential to the organisation’s success.
Their apprenticeships offer routes into a variety of career options, providing hands-on industry experience alongside classroom learning.
As one of the UK’s largest public sector procurement organisations, YPO has a proven track record, spanning over 50 years. During that time, the company has supplied products and services to a wide range of customers, including schools, local authorities, charities, emergency services, the public sector and other businesses, with an annual turnover in excess of £1.1 billion.
Recruiting apprentices
Since 2011, YPO has welcomed over 120 apprentices aged 16 and above, offering paid opportunities across a broad range of job roles.
In 2025, YPO welcomed 11 new apprentices into the organisation, matching young people to roles such as supply chain warehouse operatives, HR support, finance assistants, business administrators, multi-channel marketers, customer services’ practitioners and internal communications apprenticeships.
Judith Clark, People Development Manager, said: “Through our apprenticeship framework, we’ve built valuable skills, launched rewarding careers and helped shape a brighter future.”
Investing in the new Team Leadership Apprenticeship Scheme
This year, YPO launched a new Team Leadership Apprenticeship Scheme to support staff with progression and upskilling. This scheme was developed by using industry research and internal engagement, identifying opportunities to improve development and support employee progression.
This marks a change in how YPO uses the Apprenticeship Levy, supporting the training of existing staff and continuing to create new roles within the organisation, thanks to funding from its local authority partners.
Six YPO warehouse leaders have already begun the new leadership and management apprenticeships, giving employees access to professional qualifications and leadership skills that support their career growth.
Joanne Grigg, Head of HR and People Services, said: “It’s fantastic to have the opportunity to carry out a review of our levy offering and create a new offering that supports the development of our teams, staff retention and overall success of our organisation.
“The research helped us understand the need to move the levy forward to strengthen development pathways for existing colleagues and to implement our findings to support workforce planning and enhance our leadership pipeline. We look forward to supporting more colleagues through the new Team Leadership Apprenticeship programme over the coming years.”
Follow in Edward’s footsteps
Edward Gradwell joined YPO as an apprentice Warehouse Operative in 2022 and has since progressed to Senior Warehouse Operative in the YPO Warehouse.
He has now embarked on the new Team Leadership Apprenticeship scheme, undertaking his second apprenticeship at YPO to enhance his skills.
Edward said: “I would encourage anyone who is considering an apprenticeship at YPO to apply.
“It offers many ways to progress into full-time employment, and being able to explore different apprenticeships within the business means I can continue to gain on-the-job experience and further my education.”
For anyone interested in applying or learning more about YPO apprenticeships, visit the website here.