Transparity apprenticeships: More than a training programme

When organisations talk about apprenticeships, the conversation often starts with skills gaps, recruitment challenges, and workforce planning. As an award-winning Microsoft Solutions Partner, Transparity helps organisations transform the way they work through Microsoft cloud, AI, and workplace technologies.

But more than that, it's a values-driven organisation. So when Neil Tune, Transparity's Chief People and Culture Officer, set out to build the company's apprenticeship programme in 2021, he knew that values would be at its heart. It all started with a belief that businesses have a responsibility to create opportunity.

As a growing Microsoft partner, Transparity recognised the same challenge facing much of the technology sector: experienced talent was in high demand, but companies were largely competing for the same pool of people. Rather than continuing to recruit talent from elsewhere, they asked: what if we helped create it instead?

"It was about creating a place where people wanted to work, where they felt valued, and where the business could have a positive impact, as well as commercial success."

Not only was there a business case: Transparity needed new talent to support its growth. But Transparity also saw apprenticeships as an opportunity to widen participation in technology, helping create routes into an industry that has historically struggled with representation and diversity.

That thinking reflects the values that have shaped Transparity since its earliest days.

"The original DNA of Transparity wasn't just about building a successful business," explains Neil. "It was about creating a place where people wanted to work, where they felt valued, and where the business could have a positive impact, as well as commercial success."

Taking the leap

Like many employers considering apprenticeships for the first time, Transparity didn't begin with a fully formed blueprint.

The team knew they wanted to invest in early careers talent, but they also understood they would have to learn as they went. Rather than over-engineering the programme, they decided to start.

Their first cohort consisted of four apprentices.

The experience was rewarding, but it was not without challenges. Some apprentices thrived. Others discovered that the role they had entered simply was not the right fit. Transparity learned the importance of mentoring, line manager support, balancing work and study, and creating meaningful opportunities for apprentices to apply their learning.

For Neil, those lessons became part of the process. Transparity didn't wait until every process had been designed or every possible challenge anticipated. The business took a deliberate first step, knowing it would learn and adapt along the way. For Neil, momentum mattered more than perfection.

"Human potential isn't predictable," he says. "Sometimes people find exactly what they want. Sometimes they discover something different. The key is helping them find a path forward."

Why careers rarely move in straight lines

If there is a single theme that runs through Transparity's apprenticeship success stories, it's that careers are rarely linear.

Neil describes them as "squiggly careers". People, especially those at the beginning of their careers, need to be given the chance to learn, adapt, and sometimes pivot away from their original plans.

Squiggly careers in action

One apprentice joined Transparity after previously working in hospitality. She initially began on a technical apprenticeship but faced health challenges and struggled to gain momentum. There came a point when it would have been easy for everyone involved to conclude that the programme was simply not working.

Instead, they offered her a different approach.

Working together, they identified that her interests and strengths aligned more naturally with data. She transferred onto a data-focused apprenticeship programme, and the change was immediate. She flourished, achieved a distinction, gained multiple promotions, and today plays a key role helping Transparity understand and improve performance through data and analytics. Five years after joining the company, she continues to build a successful technology career.

Another apprentice entered the business through the partnerships function, working with data, licensing information, and Microsoft programmes. She excelled academically, but through exposure to different parts of the organisation realised her real passion was elsewhere.

She wanted to work more closely with people.

Transparity supported her exploration of a different path, giving her time with the project management team before creating an opportunity to move into a project coordinator role. She quickly progressed again and today manages customer projects, helping organisations deliver technology transformation programmes of their own.

Neither apprentice followed the original plan, but both were supported in their ambition to explore paths that spoke to their passion and talents.

These stories demonstrate the value in creating an environment where people can discover their strengths, explore their interests, and build meaningful careers.

Talent as a long-term investment

What stands out in Neil's approach is how deliberately human it is.

Transparity's talent philosophy, known internally as "Talent Wave", is built around the idea that organisations should continually bring in talent, develop it, and create opportunities for growth. The assumption is simple: people rarely leave because they stop earning. More often, they leave because they stop learning.

That belief shapes how the company thinks about apprenticeships.

Success isn't measured only by programme completions or qualifications achieved. What matters is what happens afterwards. Who stayed. Who progressed. Who discovered a career they didn't even know existed when they walked through the door.

For managers, the rewards are equally powerful.

Neil believes some of the proudest moments in leadership don't come from commercial achievements but from helping someone else develop, grow in confidence, and succeed in their career. As a result, apprentice achievements are celebrated across the business, from distinctions earned to promotions achieved.

Looking forward

Today, Transparity is preparing for the next chapter of its early careers journey. Drawing on the lessons of previous cohorts, the business plans to invest in new apprenticeship opportunities and build a more structured environment for learning, coaching, and development, with the North East being identified as an important focus area for future talent programmes and growth.

But their core philosophy remains unchanged: apprenticeships are not only a route into employment; they're a pathway to unlocking potential.

For businesses, that means building talent pipelines, developing future leaders, and creating skills rather than looking for them elsewhere. For individuals, it can mean discovering a career, developing confidence, and finding opportunities that once felt out of reach.

And that, perhaps, is the real Transparity story.

Not a story about apprenticeships.

A story about what happens when a business chooses to invest in people.

Ready to build future talent? Discover how our apprenticeship programmes can help your organisation create opportunities and support long-term growth.