PlanBEE apprenticeship programme receives royal seal of approval

Gateshead College’s PlanBEE programme has been awarded a prestigious Queen Elizabeth Prize for Higher and Further Education, the highest national honour a Further Education College can receive.

Developed in partnership with Ryder Architecture, PlanBEE was launched in 2016 to help attract and retain talent in the built environment and construction sector and solve the skills shortage the industry is facing. 

Sir Robert McAlpine was one of the founding sponsors of PlanBEE and has been proudly supporting this initiative ever since its inception. 

Backed by a consortium of over 70 leading businesses across the UK, the programme combines academic study at the college with hands-on experience at leading industry employers.

As the first programme of its kind, apprentices undertake six distinct four-month placements across roles such as architecture, engineering, project management, quantity surveying and digital design.

PlanBEE has achieved remarkable success, delivering over 850 industry placements and boasting a 98% progression rate of apprentices into permanent roles or further study. 

David Alexander, Principal of Gateshead College said: “This is a tremendous honour for our college. It recognises the innovative partnership approach we’ve taken with industry to tackle skills shortages, and it’s a powerful endorsement of the impact the PlanBEE programme has made.

"This honour wouldn’t have been possible without the dedication of our team, our incredible sponsors, and the talented apprentices who’ve helped make it the success it is today. It’s especially fitting to receive this recognition as we mark the college’s 80th birthday giving us even more reason to celebrate.”

Mark Thompson, Managing Director, Ryder Architecture, said: “When we first set out to create PlanBEE, I spoke to universities and professional institutes across the country, but many simply couldn’t move at the pace our fast-changing industry demands. We needed a partner who understood the urgency and the bigger picture.

"Gateshead College’s commitment, ambition and ‘can-do’ approach never faltered. Together we’ve created a collaborative programme that brings the sector together in a completely new way.

"To see PlanBEE recognised with this national honour is a testament to that partnership. It shows what can be achieved when industry and education work side by side with shared purpose and real determination and I’m grateful to all those who invested in the vision from the outset, it wouldn’t have happened without them.”