Senior People Professional Apprenticeship
We are delighted to welcome you to the Senior People Professional Apprenticeship programme as a Workplace Mentor. This programme is designed to equip apprentices with the skills, knowledge, and behaviours needed to improve people practices in organisations, and to drive organisational performance and effectiveness. Your commitment to this role is invaluable, and we're thrilled to have you on board.
On this page:
Programme Overview
The Senior People Professional Apprenticeship is a Level 7 programme that combines academic learning with practical workplace experience. It offers specialisation with options available in Human Resources (HR), Organisational Development (OD), and Learning and Development (LD). Here's what you need to know:
- Duration: 22 months plus End-Point Assessment (EPA)
- Qualification: MSc Applied Human Resource Management
- Professional recognition: eligibility for CIPD Chartered Member status
As a mentor you will support apprentices in applying their learning to real-world business challenges, helping them develop reflective practice and continuous professional development.
The Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education's (IfATE) apprenticeship standard which sets out the Knowledge, Skills, and Behaviours for this programme can be found here.
Key Components
The Senior People Professional Apprenticeship (SPP) has two elements that run concurrently:
Academic Learning: This is the taught element, working towards the MSc Applied Human Resource Management Master’s Degree. There are six modules, each assessed through one or two assignments. These modules include:
- Working in practice (15 credits)
- HR strategy and context (30 credits)
- HR skills and behaviours (30 credits)
- Resourcing & talent development (30 credits)
- Optional module: choose from OD, LD, HR (30 credits)
- Management research report and presentation (45 credits)
Apprenticeship: This is the workplace element where evidence of competence and learning is demonstrated by covering the required grade descriptors. This is achieved by building a portfolio of work-based evidence which will act as a springboard to the professional discussion.
Meet the Team
At the heart of the Senior People Professional Apprenticeship (SPP) programme is a dedicated team of professionals committed to supporting both mentors and apprentices throughout their journey. Our team brings a wealth of experience, expertise, and passion for developing future leaders in management.
Alison Sydenham
Email: A.Sydenham3@exeter.ac.uk
Alison oversees the SPP programme, ensuring that it meets the highest standards of quality and effectiveness. With many years’ experiences in education, she is dedicated to fostering a positive environment for both mentors and apprentices.
Alison Sydenham - A.Sydenham3@exeter.ac.uk - Read more about Alison Here
Our Academic Mentors are dedicated to supporting apprentices in navigating the apprenticeship components of the SPP programme. They play a crucial role in guiding apprentices through the process of compiling their portfolio of evidence, which showcases their learning and development throughout the programme.
Academic Mentors work closely with apprentices to ensure that they understand the requirements for their portfolios, helping them to document their experiences, reflect on their learning, and demonstrate the competencies gained in the workplace. By providing ongoing support and feedback, our Academic Mentors empower apprentices to effectively articulate their achievements and prepare for their End-Point Assessment (EPA). Their focus on practical application and real-world experiences is essential in helping apprentices succeed in their management roles.
Academic Mentors
Lead Academic Mentor - Sarah Abbott - s.abbott@exeter.ac.uk | Read more about Sarah Here
Sara Bennett - S.Bennett7@exeter.ac.uk | Read more about Sara Here
Marion Geare - M.J.Geare@exeter.ac.uk | Read more about Marion Here
Dawn Haynes - D.E.Haynes@exeter.ac.uk | Read more about Dawn Here
Clare Luke - C.Luke@exeter.ac.uk | Read more about Clare Here
Sam Mullins - S.L.Mullins@exeter.ac.uk | Read more about Sam Here
Open Cohorts
Zita Makins - Employer Partnership Officer - z.makins@exeter.ac.uk | Read more about Zita Here
Closed Cohorts
Steve Smith – Partnership Development Manager - s.smith10@exeter.ac.uk | Read more about Steve Here
Your Commitment Matters
Each member of our team is dedicated to ensuring that mentors have the resources and support they need to guide apprentices effectively. We believe that a strong mentor-apprentice relationship is key to the success of the SPP programme, and we are here to help you every step of the way.
Feel free to contact us with questions, concerns, or for additional support. Together, we can make a significant impact on the professional growth of our apprentices.
Key Information and Events
Staying informed about important dates and events is crucial for effectively supporting your apprentice throughout their SPP journey. Below are the key milestones and events for the current academic year. Please note that specific dates may vary slightly for individual apprentices based on their start date.
Initial Contact and Meeting
Shortly after the Apprentice's induction, the Academic Mentor will contact you as the Workplace Mentor to arrange an initial meeting with you. While this meeting is not compulsory, it is highly recommended as it provides an excellent opportunity to establish a strong foundation for the apprenticeship journey.
This initial meeting allows all parties to:
- Introduce themselves and clarify their roles
- Discuss expectations for the apprenticeship
- Address any initial questions or concerns
- Begin building a collaborative relationship
As a Workplace Mentor, your role in supporting your Apprentice's development is crucial. There may be times when concerns arise about an Apprentice's performance or progress. It's important to address these issues promptly and effectively to ensure the best possible outcome for the Apprentice and the apprenticeship programme.
Recognising Performance Challenges
When an Apprentice is struggling, the Academic Mentor will typically notify you via email as part of the escalation process. This communication will outline the specific concerns regarding the Apprentice's performance, such as:
- Consistently missing deadlines
- Poor quality of work
- Lack of engagement in learning activities
- Failure to meet off-the-job (OTJ) training requirements
- Difficulties in applying learning to workplace tasks
Your Role in Addressing Concerns
Upon receiving notification from the Academic Mentor regarding performance challenges, your first step should be to meet with the Apprentice to discuss the issues raised. Here’s how to approach this:
- Arrange a meeting: schedule a private meeting with your Apprentice to discuss the concerns outlined in the Academic Mentor's email
- Ascertain the problem: use this opportunity to understand the extent of the problem; encourage your Apprentice to share their perspective and any challenges they may be facing
- Explore solutions: collaborate with your Apprentice to identify potential solutions or strategies to address the identified challenges
- Create an action plan: work together to develop a clear, achievable action plan that includes specific goals and timelines for improvement
- Follow up: schedule regular check-ins to monitor progress and provide ongoing support as needed
- Document the process: keep records of your meetings, the agreed-upon actions, and the Apprentice's progress
Seeking Additional Support
If you need clarification or further assistance:
- Consult with the Academic Mentor: if you have questions about the situation or need more information about the apprenticeship requirements, reach out to the Academic Mentor for guidance
- Escalation process: if the performance issues persist despite your interventions, or if you encounter a problem that you feel unable to resolve, inform the Academic Mentor
Preventive Measures
To help prevent performance issues:
- Maintain regular check-ins with your Apprentice, such as weekly or bi-weekly meetings
- Provide timely feedback on their work and progress
- Ensure they have adequate time and resources for their OTJ training
- Encourage open communication about any challenges they're facing
Remember, your primary role in addressing concerns is to support your Apprentice's success in the programme. By taking a proactive, supportive approach and addressing issues early, you can help your Apprentice overcome challenges and achieve their full potential.
- The next Workplace Mentor training session is to be confirmed. If you would like to view a video recording of the previous session, please contact Steve Smith – Partnership Development Manager - s.smith10@exeter.ac.uk.
Contact us
If you have any questions or need further assistance, please feel free to contact us. I look forward to hearing from you!
Sarah Abbott
Lead Academic Mentor
Email: s.abbott@exeter.ac.uk
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Sarah Abbott
Email: s.abbott@exeter.ac.uk
As the Lead Academic Mentor for the SPP programme, Sarah oversees the academic support provided to Apprentices and Mentors alike. Sarah serves as the primary point of contact for apprenticeship and portfolio enquiries and works closely with the entire mentoring team to align academic learning with workplace experiences.
Sarah joined the University of Exeter Business School in July 2024, but prior to this was a senior leader for an independent training provider specialising in apprenticeships. Before joining the education sector, Sarah held various leadership and management roles within the private sector.
Qualifications
- Level 5 Management and Leadership
- Leading Internal Quality Assurance of Assessment Process and Practice
- Level 4 Occupational Information Advice and Guidance
- Assessing Vocational Achievement
Sara Bennett
Email: S.Bennett7@exeter.ac.uk
Sara joined the Business School in July 2022 after many years of experience in Higher Education and management and leadership roles in the public and not-for-profit sector.
Before joining the Business School, Sara was the CEO of a children and young people's bereavement support charity, supporting children and young people after a catastrophic loss. Sara managed the HR function, fundraising, operational development and stakeholder relations, and received the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service for the charity. She left that role in early 2022. Sara has a keen interest in supporting individuals to thrive, to stay focused and to achieve whilst juggling the demands of work and study.
Qualifications
- Institute of Leadership and Management - Level 4
- Higher Education Academy Associate
- Postgraduate Certificate in Education
About Me
Outside of work, Sara is a volunteer mentor for vulnerable young women and a volunteer foster carer for training guide dogs, as well as a Mum to two grown-up children.
Marion Geare
Email: M.J.Geare@exeter.ac.uk
Marion joined the University of Exeter as an Academic Mentor in May 2024 following a successful career spanning almost 30 years in HR. She has worked at both operational and strategic levels for large public sector organisations. Her career has focused on supporting people to grow, develop and perform through the implementation of organisational workforce strategies which meet the changing needs of the business. She has worked with organisations to achieve and maintain the Investors in People standard and through her HR roles has been involved in performance, learning and development, apprenticeships, reward, strategy, employee relations, leadership learning, strategic recruitment and retention, workforce planning, coaching, mentoring, and facilitating.
Marion began her coaching and mentoring journey in 2007. She has delivered workplace coaching to many individuals, supporting their development as stand-alone interventions and through leadership development programmes as well as developing a coaching network and coaching culture in her previous role.
Qualifications
- City and Guilds Further and Adult Education Teachers’ Certificate
- ILM Level 7 Certificate in Executive Coaching and Mentoring
- Leadership Circle Profile accreditation
About Me
Outside of work, Marion is mum to two grown-up children, she loves walking, especially with her husband and yellow labrador Lottie. Recently she has become a foster carer for guide dogs offering short-term respite care and has started to learn to play golf.
Dawn Haynes
Email: D.E.Haynes@exeter.ac.uk
Dawn joined the University of Exeter Business School in March 2020 as an Academic Mentor and is currently supporting the Level 7 Senior People Professional Apprenticeship Programme.
An advocate of collaboration and partnership, Dawn has had strong connections with the University of Exeter for several years. This includes contributing to an employer-led leadership programme, as a female advisory board member, the conduit for a knowledge transfer partnership as well as providing careers advice to business undergraduates.
Dawn describes herself as a leadership and management practitioner with over 20 years experience, specialising in Human Resources. Her most recent experience is in blue chip FMCG organisations – Mondelez International where she contributed to re-aligning business goals to deliver double-digit growth and was a Movement Maker for their ‘Being at My Best’ intervention. At Heinz the business received an external award in recognition of positive cultural change post business acquisition.
She has also held posts in Financial Services where she relocated a business out of London and Research & Development where she created and implemented a new pay structure. She also set up her own business working from home when her family were young.
Volunteering has provided further leadership experience as a Chair of Governors to a primary school and latterly as a Trustee/Director to a local charity.
Qualifications
- B.Sc. Hons. Food Science – University of Reading
- Post-Graduate Diploma in Personnel Management
- Post-Graduate Certificate in Executive Coaching and Mentoring
Clare Luke
Email: C.Luke@exeter.ac.uk
Clare joined the Business School in 2021 as an Academic Mentor.
Clare's passion for HR, Leadership and Coaching was formed through an extensive career within the Utilities Sector, where she spent 16 years progressing from HR Operational delivery to Strategic HR ownership. During this time, she also completed her Masters in HR, so is very familiar with the challenge of full-time working and studying.
In 2017 Clare launched Class HR Ltd; specialising in Executive and Leadership Coaching and HR Project Delivery. She has had the privilege of working in partnership with a diverse range of clients across the public, private and voluntary sectors, developing creative people practices which challenge traditional HR ways of working.
In her capacity as an Executive & Leadership Coach, she has worked with over 200 individuals, supporting clients through their own process of career and personal change transition.
Clare has held several Non-Executive Director Appointments within an Academy of Schools and at T-Cup Ltd.
Qualifications
- MSc in Strategic HRM
- Insights Discovery Practitioner
- Chartered Fellow CIPD
- ILM Level 7 Executive Coach & Mentor
- Coach/Mentor Senior Practitioner - EMCC Global
About Me
Outside of a working day, Clare is kept very busy with her three daughters, 16, 12 and 4. Clare can often be found on the side lines of the football pitch, or in the nearest soft play centre. Clare is grateful for the joy they bring along with the challenges, and continues to learn every day, in the role of Mum.
Sam Mullins
Email: S.L.Mullins@exeter.ac.uk
Sam joined the University of Exeter as an Academic Mentor in 2023. Prior to this, she held HR roles at a senior level across a range of industries within the public and private sector. During her career, she has worked directly for regional, national and global companies including Devon County Council, Marconi, Boots UK Ltd, Computershare, and Millennium and Copthorne hotels.
In April 2023, alongside her role as an Academic Mentor, Sam followed her dreams and started her own people and culture consultancy called Latitude HR. This enables her to focus on her areas of specialism which include organisational change, leadership learning, strategic recruitment, workforce planning, coaching, mentoring and facilitating.
Sam’s first love is Psychology, which she studied at the University of Exeter, and she has continued to develop her knowledge in this field and apply it in the workplace. Sam has continued to develop herself during her career and completed her MA part-time whilst working and living in London.
Qualifications
- BSc (Hons) in Psychology
- MA in Personnel and Development
- ILM Level 5 Coaching and Mentoring
- Occupational Ability and Personality Questionnaires (BPS Level A and B)
- Leadership Circle Profile accreditation
About Me
Outside of work, I am a Mum to Edward, Francesca and Charlotte so I am kept busy juggling their social lives along with mine! I love skiing, have been known to paddleboard and am working towards running a 10K.
Zita Makins
Email: z.makins@exeter.ac.uk
Zita is an Employer Partnership Officer responsible for supporting organisations with onboarding prospective Apprentices from the initial marketing stage through to contracting and providing progress reports. She works closely with the academic and administrative support team to provide employer partners with a smooth apprenticeship experience.
Steve Smith
Email: s.smith10@exeter.ac.uk
Steve is responsible for supporting organisations with onboarding prospective Apprentices from the initial marketing stage through to contracting and providing progress reports. He works closely with the academic and administrative support team to provide employer partners with a smooth apprenticeship experience.
