Dudley Council builds a scalable learning culture with Thrive
Learners using Thrive
Challenges addressed with Thrive
Integrations used
Annual hours saved
Putting apprenticeships at the centre of workforce strategy
Apprenticeships are a strategic priority for Dudley Council, whose team is committed to growing talent and developing a future-ready workforce. But communicating the value of these programmes calls for structure and consistency — two things that are hard to achieve without a purpose-built platform to support employee training and clear internal communications across departments.
National Apprenticeship Week presented a new opportunity: spotlighting development pathways and success stories across the whole organisation. The challenge was to move beyond a single announcement that would get lost in the shuffle, and instead deliver sustained, daily campaigns that connected personal development with the Council's wider goals.
From awareness days to lasting impact
National Apprenticeship Week became a focused, high-energy campaign delivered through Thrive. Dudley Council built anticipation with pre-launch, and kept the momentum going with five themed days, all under the overarching campaign "Skills for Life." Every banner, spotlight and update introduced something new for colleagues to engage with, making the value of apprenticeships easy to see and impossible to ignore.
Dudley Council has since expanded beyond single campaigns into a more embedded skills development strategy, using campaigns to keep apprenticeship awareness alive year-round and learning pathways to guide colleagues through their development journeys. Each day of the campaign had a clear purpose, connecting opportunity with action, underpinned by real-world impact through T Level placements and celebration events.
Delivering measurable skills impact
The numbers tell a powerful story. In 2025, 79 apprentices completed their programmes, with 25 Level 3 achievers recognised at a dedicated celebration event. Analytics dashboards gave leadership clear visibility of completion and progression, turning employee engagement with learning into a measurable business outcome.
The momentum reached far beyond the Council's own teams. £461,232 of levy funding backed 49 local businesses, while 18 T Level placements opened direct routes into meaningful work. Skills funding moved quickly from policy into practice, supporting real people across the borough, in a programme of workforce investment with visible, lasting impact.
“Using Thrive as our core engagement platform allowed us to consistently highlight opportunities, success stories and key messages each day, helping employees understand the wide range of apprenticeship pathways available.”
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