We spoke with Andrew Smele, a line manager at Lloyds Banking Group, about his experience managing apprentices.

Andrew’s dedication to nurturing apprentice talent hasn’t gone unnoticed. He was recently named a finalist in the Line Manager of the Year category at the Lloyds Banking Group Apprenticeship and Skills Awards 2025 - an honour made even more special as he was nominated by his apprentice, Henry Whitehead.

Andrew has managed two apprentices in the past and is currently supporting Henry Whitehead, a Level 6 Financial Services Professional apprentice. He shared how apprenticeships are making a tangible difference in his team and why he’s a strong advocate for this training route.

How did Henry join your team?

Henry came through an assessment centre and was allocated to our team. We knew we were gaining an apprentice, and different ones are allocated across the bank, so Henry ended up in our team.

What’s it been like having Henry on your team?

He’s absolutely brilliant. He’s fantastic. I can’t speak highly enough of Henry as an individual and what he’s brought to my team. It’s been a pleasure working with him.

I don’t think I’ve ever worked with somebody who’s come into a team almost straight from where he came from, virtually on the back of university, and brought so much. I’ve just been blown away by him. I think he’s got a fantastic career ahead of him.

How many people are in your team, and are there other apprentices?

I line manage six people, but within our wider team, we’ve got between 40 to 50 colleagues across Bristol and Leeds. In Bristol, where Henry and I are based, there are about 22 colleagues. We also have another apprentice in Leeds, but he’s managed by someone else.

Are there differences you've noticed between supporting an apprentice and your other colleagues?

Sometimes you get internal moves within the bank, so they have that ‘bank background.’ But Henry's come in completely different, and that gives a different perspective. I’ve really liked that. He brings different life skills and a different approach that helps my team.

Because it's a Level 6 apprenticeship, I look at some of the stuff Henry does, and it's like, ‘wow.’ It takes me back to doing my banking exams years ago. But the real difference is his organisation. Henry is so organised because he has to be for his apprenticeship. He prioritises what he needs to do and brings that structure into the job.

Has that rubbed off on the rest of your team?

100%. With some of the case studies Henry has done, we’ve managed to make improvements in the team, with Henry leading and bringing the rest of the team with him. They see what he’s doing and the enthusiasm he brings.

His networking is some of the best I think I’ve ever seen. He’s very natural at it, and some of my team have picked up on that and tried to do the same. Just yesterday, he presented to the team, and I had to take a step back as he presents better than I do. The leadership team have noticed it too. He’s getting recognition at higher levels.

What kind of support have you given to help him succeed?

It’s mostly about making sure Henry gets his off-the-job training time. We’ve worked with him to make it flexible, allowing for one full day a week or two half days, whichever works best for him. We have regular catch-ups to see what’s on his plan and what he’s working on.

Sometimes we look at the case studies he has to complete and see if anything we’re doing in the team aligns. One improvement idea came from something he was doing for his apprenticeship, as we linked it to a team project. I’ll sometimes give him a little steer, not that Henry really needs it!

Has managing apprentices before helped you handle this more smoothly?

Definitely. There’s always a balance between the day job and the apprenticeship. However, we’ve been honest with Henry about the need for flexibility. Some of the learning fits with the job, too. When we plan our capacity, we factor in Henry’s off-the-job time. We haven’t found it to be an issue, but that could be because we’ve learned from previous experiences.

Would you recommend hiring an apprentice to other managers?

100%. Absolutely. This is the third apprentice I’ve supported, and I've only had positive experiences. I think sometimes people focus too much on the off-the-job element. However, much of the learning is tied to their day-to-day activities. There are so many advantages.

I’m a massive advocate. I’d have an apprentice tomorrow. They add so much value. That’s not saying other colleagues don’t, but if you get the option, it’s well worth it.

What advice would you offer to a new line manager supporting an apprentice?

Try to understand as much as you can about what they’re doing. Apprenticeships add so much value. For example, Henry is on a degree-level programme, and the skills he brings can drive improvements to the team. Some of the tasks on their programme naturally lend themselves to that.

I always try to be more involved so I understand what’s going on and how it can help the wider team.

How has your experience been working with Kaplan?

Henry has regular progress reviews. I don’t join all of them, but I get updates and see everything in OneFile. His Talent Coach goes through his performance and module progress.

From a line manager’s view, those reviews are great. They give me the bigger picture. Even if I’m not on the call, I learn more about how Henry’s planning his work. The support is really good, and it helps me know when he might need extra time to catch up, so I can plan for that.

What’s your final word on apprenticeships?

I think the opportunities are great. Just take advantage of it. Why wouldn’t you?

My other two apprentices were really good as well, and Henry is brilliant - I can’t speak highly enough of him. He surprises me every day and challenges me in the right way, but explains why he’s doing it.

He’s also an advocate for apprenticeships. He gives up his own time, supports events, and visits schools to promote the scheme. He’s living it, and that’s why he drives it so well. Seeing someone like Henry talking about it brings it to life

Looking to future-proof your team?

Whether you’re looking to attract new talent, upskill your workforce, or future-proof your organisation, our apprenticeship programmes are designed to deliver real business impact.

Contact the team to explore how we can support your talent strategy with flexible, high-quality apprenticeship solutions.