Premiership Rugby celebrates cohort of apprentices, including Northampton youngster Tyrell Wilson, National Apprenticeship Week 2023

Helping young people to secure apprenticeships is a key objective of Premiership Rugby through the HITZ programme which has been running since 2008. It is on this programme that young people can find the steppingstones to employment, by gaining qualifications and learning new skills which make them more work ready.

Delivered through the network of premiership clubs, foundations, and community volunteers, HITZ works with young people who are often the hardest to reach, those not in education, employment or training for a variety of reasons. Often, against all odds, the programme helps young people to overcome personal battles physically and mentally, to reengage in education and enable them to work out their next steps which for many includes going on to secure apprenticeships. Young people like Tyrell Wilson.

Tyrell, from Northampton Saints Foundation, was shortlisted for Apprentice of the Year last year at the Northamptonshire Business Excellence Awards, HITZ student Tyrell has overcome huge personal challenges on his apprentice journey. After struggling with mainstream education Tyrell found Northampton Saints Foundation and undertook several courses to gain qualifications. His work ethic improved, and he steered his life down a more positive pathway. Hard work, commitment and a new motivation led to him becoming a role model for new students joining the HITZ programme. A successful application for an apprenticeship with Northampton Saints Foundation enabled Tyrell to support other disadvantaged or vulnerable young people who are in a similar situation to where Tyrell was at the beginning. He continues to shine in this role, using his lived experience to understand and motivate young people to make good decisions and create a positive future. Tyrell continues his positive pathway having completed his apprenticeship with a distinction and has now been promoted to the role of Student Mentor.

Tyrell says the best things about his apprenticeship are ‘Being able to help support the individuals on the programme as well as developing my skillset through my course which help me succeed and to progress onto the student mentor role. Watching the young people I work with grow into more positive and confident individuals and working on a range of different programmes to give me the chance to understand different student behaviours and experiences.’

Tyrell, Northampton Saints Foundation, gives his top three reasons to apply for an apprenticeship.

1) You can do paid work alongside learning and developing key skills for a job role.

2) Having a solid support network around you – knowing you can ask for help and feel comfortable.

3) Not having the pressure of going straight into employment enables you to focus on completing set tasks.

Marcel Binley, Managing Director of The Roastery, offers HITZ students at Northampton Saints Foundation opportunities to gain Barista qualifications as a steppingstone into employment. Commenting on why he gets involved and how it has helped his business Marcel says, ‘Just having the opportunity to work with these students gives us so much joy. Watching them grow and learn about coffee has been a huge privilege. We will keep on doing everything we can.’

Working with more than 2,000 14–24-year-olds across England every year, the HITZ programme is supported by CVC, Wooden Spoon and East Head Impact, with Central YMCA as the programme’s official education provider, we support young people to make positive changes in their lives.

Success comes from learning in an inclusive environment amongst the HITZ family that is different to mainstream education. Rugby’s core values of teamwork, respect, enjoyment, discipline, and sportsmanship are at the heart of every session delivered. Through self-discipline, commitment and courage beyond measure young people are gaining qualifications and life changing skills to become an apprentice with a clear career pathway ahead of them.

Find out more on the HITZ programme and details of how to enrol at www.premiershiprugby.com/community/hitz/