EAfA Member Spotlight: Workplus connects employers with talent through apprenticeships

Workplus has developed a digital platform that connects employers with early talent and helps make apprenticeships easier to access. Through this innovative marketplace-style platform, school-leavers and job seekers can discover apprenticeship opportunities with forward-looking companies, while employers can promote vacancies, manage applications and build talent pipelines in construction, IT, finance, manufacturing and engineering. By combining digital tools, outreach and partnerships with schools and industry, Workplus helps more people to understand and access apprenticeships.

Read on to learn more about Workplus' pledge and the initiatives it is implementing to support EAfA's objectives.

Please can you provide a short overview of your pledge and which EAfA objectives it relates to?

Our pledge supports several objectives of the European Alliance for Apprenticeships, particularly increasing the supply of apprenticeships, improving access to opportunities and strengthening the image of apprenticeships among both employers and young people.

Through our digital marketplace platform and coordinated employer campaigns, we enable companies to create and promote apprenticeship opportunities while allowing candidates to discover and apply for them more easily. The platform provides a central place where employers and applicants can navigate apprenticeship pathways and manage applications more efficiently.

Improving access to apprenticeships is another important element of our pledge. By simplifying the recruitment process and making information clearer, we help reduce barriers that can discourage both employers and candidates from engaging with apprenticeship programmes. We reduce complexity, recruitment effort and costs for businesses, while making it easier and more inclusive for candidates to find, understand and apply for opportunities.

Our pledge also reflects a commitment to a more inclusive workforce. Initiatives such as our "Software for All" project aim to broaden participation and support diversity in sectors such as software and technology. Running until September 2026, the campaign has already created 78 opportunities, with this figure expected to exceed 100 by September this year. To date, more than 20 companies are involved, ranging from local SMEs to large multinational organisations.

How did you first hear about EAfA and why did you decide to submit a pledge?

We first learned about EAfA through DG EMPL's LinkedIn page and recognised that the Alliance's goals closely matched our own ambitions.

Workplus, a private (Limited) company, was established in 2019 with the aim of strengthening the image of apprenticeships and helping employers connect with aspiring apprentices. Developing our bespoke digital platform was a key step in achieving this goal, enabling employers and early talent to find each other more easily and simplifying the recruitment process.

We joined EAfA in April 2025. Joining EAfA created an opportunity to collaborate with organisations across Europe that share a commitment to improving apprenticeship systems. Through the Alliance, we have gained insight into how apprenticeships are structured in different countries and regions and have learned from the experiences of other members.

What opportunities has your organisation taken to contribute to EAfA activities?

Since joining the Alliance, we have participated in several EAfA Communities, including the Higher Apprenticeships Community and the Cities and Regions Community.

The Communities provide opportunities to exchange experiences and explore how apprenticeship systems can be strengthened across Europe. Through regular online meetings, we connect with organisations from different countries to discuss shared challenges and learn from each other's approaches.

We are also contributing to these discussions by sharing our experience of expanding apprenticeship opportunities. Recently, we actively participated at the Higher Apprecnticeships Community meeting which took place on the 10 March. l We presented our work to address challenges such as fragmentation within apprenticeship systems.

While we hope to attend in-person EAfA events in the future, the online Community meetings already provide valuable opportunities for collaboration and peer learning.

Since submitting a pledge, what activities has your organisation undertaken to achieve the EAfA objectives?

We regularly run employer-focused campaigns designed to increase the visibility of apprenticeship roles. Our digital platform also helps streamline the application process and widen access to apprenticeship positions. designed to increase the visibility of apprenticeship roles. Our digital platform also helps streamline the application process and widen access to apprenticeship positions.

Alongside our digital activities, we carry out extensive outreach across Northern Ireland. We work with schools, careers services and community groups to promote apprenticeship pathways and provide practical guidance to young people considering them.

These sessions often involve students aged 16 to 18. We explain how apprenticeships work, outline the benefits of work-based learning and guide students through the application process. Apprentices frequently join these events to share their experiences and answer questions directly.

We also participate in events across every county in Northern Ireland. As awareness grows, interest in apprenticeships continues to increase, particularly in Higher Level and degree-level programmes.

How does your pledge support broader EU or national goals related to gender equality in education and employment?

We support broader EU and national objectives by promoting apprenticeship opportunities to a wide and diverse audience.

Each year, we reach thousands of school pupils through careers talks, outreach and online content highlighting real apprenticeship journeys. Podcasts and blog articles sharing these experiences demonstrate the range of opportunities available through work-based learning. To date, the campaign includes 45 school talks delivered, reaching over 4,200 pupils; participation in 30 events such as careers fairs, engaging more than 10,000 people; and an online reach of 29,000. These figures will continue to grow, with the next campaign planned for June 2026.

We also work closely with employers to encourage them to create new apprenticeship opportunities. In Northern Ireland, only around 11% of employers currently offer apprenticeships, despite growing interest.

To help address this gap, we provide guidance and practical support to employers, including workshops for HR professionals explaining how apprenticeship programmes can be introduced and managed, as well as networking and mentor training events for member companies.

For aspiring apprentices, we organise application clinics and interview preparation webinars to support candidates throughout the recruitment process.

What measures has your organisation taken to ensure equal access to apprenticeships for women and girls?

In 2025, we launched the "Software for All" project in partnership with Software NI, a software cluster in Northern Ireland.

The project aims to raise awareness around careers in the software development sector and expand apprenticeship opportunities within the industry. The overall target is to create 100 apprenticeship opportunities by September 2026. Of these, at least 40 are expected to be filled by women, reflecting the project's strong commitment to addressing gender imbalances in software roles.

As part of the programme, we have produced a series of podcasts featuring female apprentices and leaders working in the software industry. The project features a Software Ambassador Programme, which consists of apprentices who engage in school outreach events and share their experiences with students.

Early results demonstrate the impact of this approach. In January 2026, the Northern Ireland Economy Minister visited Workplus and met Rachel, an apprentice who discovered her role through the Software for All project. Rachel became her employer's first software apprentice, illustrating how collaboration between employers, training providers and organisations creates new and exciting opportunities.

Are you feeling inspired by Workplus' commitment to expanding apprenticeship opportunities? Become a member by submitting a pledge now.

Details