Visit Shines A Spotlight On The ‘Power Of Apprenticeships’ To Firms And Students

The skills, apprenticeship and higher education minister visited the Cambridge office of Irwin Mitchell on 8 February to learn more about how a national law firm and its colleagues benefit from apprenticeships.

Taking place during National Apprenticeship Week (5-11 February) Rt Hon Robert Halfon MP, Minister for Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education spoke with apprentices and their managers about pursuing their careers with the firm. The minister also met with Irwin Mitchell’s apprenticeship manager, to discuss the vital role of apprenticeships and initiatives underway to grow the apprenticeship programme across the firm.

National Apprenticeship Week (NAW), aims to raise awareness of the benefits that modern apprenticeships offer, giving students the tools to explore all the options open to them and work out the best route to their future career.

Irwin Mitchell has reported that 2024 is proving a busy year for apprenticeships. This year will see one of the firm’s most diverse apprenticeship intakes, with a variety of both legal and non-legal roles and departments available.

The firm boasts an apprenticeship completion rate since 2021 of 84% (versus 53.4% nationally) and remains the number one law firm with the highest number of apprentices since 2022.

The minister met with Bethan Seaman, a 2023 paralegal apprentice in the Cambridge office, together with line manager, Saika Kauser (solicitor) and Samuel Towler, a tax technician apprentice.

A round table discussion was held where apprentices shared their own experiences with the minister and apprenticeship manager Lorcan Seery discussed the firm’s wider apprenticeship proposition and the vital role apprenticeships play in the modern education mix.

The Rt Hon Robert Halfon MP said: “It’s so gratifying to see professions like law embrace apprenticeships (both in the legal and non legal domain) as a great way to recruit talent and expand peoples’ opportunities for realising their ambitions and fulfilling their potential.”

Samuel Towler, tax and technician apprentice at Irwin Mitchell said: “It was an honour to take part in a round table discussion with the minister for skills, apprenticeships and further education, the Rt Hon Robert Halfon MP. We talked about our personal backstories with our apprenticeships and heard his plans for championing apprenticeships in all aspects of work, including as a gateway to the legal industry.

“It is clear how passionate he is about apprenticeships as a viable means of starting a fulfilling career and it is very encouraging to know that apprenticeships are valued at the highest levels of government.”

Lorcan Seery, apprentice manager at Irwin Mitchell said: “Irwin Mitchell was truly honoured to host the Rt Hon Robert Halfon MP at our Cambridge office. He took the opportunity to meet with some of our paralegal, business administration, tax and solicitor apprentices, along with their managers to talk to them openly and honestly about their current apprenticeship experience which everyone greatly appreciated. 

“The audience very much enjoyed how he showed his usual passion and genuine interest in learning about what more can be done to help showcase the power of apprenticeships in supporting individuals and the communities within which they live. 

“Irwin Mitchell continues to feel extremely proud of our apprenticeship proposition and are very much looking forward to seeing the great quality of applications for their apprenticeship vacancies that are advertised currently.”

Irwin Mitchell’s apprenticeship vacancies are now live, with applications closing on Thursday 29 February, 2024. More information on availability and how to apply can be found here: Apprenticeships, Legal, Business & Accountancy Apprenticeship Jobs | Irwin Mitchell