The Aptem Lifetime case study, told from an employer’s perspective, offers a compelling insight into how organisations can use technology to support continuous learning, improve retention, and build a workforce equipped for the future.
As employers across the UK and beyond face accelerating skills shortages, rising workforce churn, and increasing pressure to demonstrate return on investment from training, the focus is shifting from short-term interventions to long-term, sustainable skills development.
In this video Paul Fellows, Learning and Development Partner for Apprenticeships at Marston’s, a Lifetime employer customer, describes the impact Aptem has had on his team and his learners.
The video explores a number of themes
The importance of data and a system:
Marston’s makes a lot of data led decisions, and for apprenticeships, what’s happening in the landscape is crucial to the learning and development team. Having a system that gives this overview is critical to the team. Paul uses the Aptem dashboards daily to understand how all apprentices using Aptem are performing, then drills deeper to see where there are potential areas of success and concern.
Aptem is really, really important to us.
Paul Fellows, Learning and Development Partner for Apprenticeships, Marston.
Using Aptem to assist reduction in Past Planned End Date (PPED) learners:
Going passed a planned end date for a learner is demoralising, for an employer means that the training is delayed, and often results in financial costs for employers and training providers. Aptem has enabled Paul to see who is going passed planned end date and the interventions he and the team have been able to put in place as a result of this have reduced the learners going passed planned end date from 26 in the 12 months previous, to eight.
69% reduction in PPED
Interventions have reduced the number of learners going passed planned end.
£100,000 saving
Financially Marston’s have saved themselves and their training providers over £100,000 as a result of the oversight Aptem provides.
Using Aptem to ensure line managers are supporting apprentices:
It is well documented that a supportive line manager makes a considerable difference to the successful outcome of an apprentice. Aptem gives the Learning and Development team at Marston’s access to key information such as has a line manager attended the latest progress review, are they generally engaging, do they know what’s happening between the coach and apprentice. As a result Marston’s have been able to be proactive and ask what can be done before an escalation occurs.
Aptem is a godsend and compared to other platforms where you don’t get the opportunity to look into those records, this is brilliant in my eyes.
Paul Fellows, Learning and Development Partner for Apprenticeships, Marston’s.
The importance of a user-friendly system:
“I love working with Aptem” said Paul. “To me it’s definitely the go-to learning management system”. Feedback from apprentices concurs. It’s very simple to use, learners know where they are in their journey and it’s easy to upload evidence. Handy features like being able to message their coach in the system really supports learners.
The potential for apprenticeship management systems like Aptem to do more of the heavy lifting:
Paul speaks to the nature of tasks around apprenticeship delivery being very time-consuming and is looking forward to embracing new technology features within Aptem to ease this burden.
In conclusion
This case study illustrates a broader shift in how employers are thinking about skills and development. In a labour market defined by change, organisations need solutions that are flexible, scalable, and capable of supporting learning over the long term.
By embracing a lifelong learning model, underpinned by technology that supports both learners and employers, organisations can move from reactive training to proactive workforce development. The result is a more engaged workforce, stronger internal talent pipelines, and greater resilience in the face of change.
For Marston’s, Aptem has become more than a training platform. It is a strategic tool for building skills that last — for individuals, for the organisation, and for the future of work.
Resources
Steve Willis
BMS Progress
