Celebrating our apprentices on Vocational Celebration Day
On 6 August 2026, the UK will marked its first-ever Vocational Celebration Day, a new national day created by Enginuity and EAL to celebrate vocational learners and the skills they bring to industry. We were proud to be part of it, with members of our apprentice team joining the celebration.
It’s a cause close to home. Over 40 years of staircase-making has taught us that hands-on skill isn’t a fallback option. It’s the thing that keeps a workshop like ours running, and running well. As an employee-owned company, we’ve always invested in developing talent from within, and our apprentices are very much part of that future.
The hour-long broadcast from the day features stories from young learners, employers and educators from across the country, all on the front line of the skills revolution, alongside a special performance and words from Minister for Skills Baroness Jacqui Smith and Enginuity CEO Ann Watson MBE.
It was a fitting way to mark a day that’s been deliberately scheduled a week ahead of A-Level results day as a reminder that there’s more than one route to a rewarding career.
Why it matters
Vocational learning has long been treated as the less glamorous option and seen as easier or less valuable than an academic route. Anyone who’s spent time on a shop floor knows that’s not true. The UK needs more people with practical, work-ready skills, and vocational learners are the ones building that future, whether in engineering, manufacturing, construction or care.
Vocational Celebration Day is a chance to give that contribution the recognition it deserves and to celebrate the organisations helping learners get there.
It’s part of how we already work
This isn’t a one-off for us. Our CEO, Andrew Holland, has spoken before about why apprenticeships matter to Spiral UK:
“National Apprenticeship Week 2026 is an opportunity for us to celebrate the talent, dedication, and fresh perspectives our apprentices bring. By investing in these pathways, we aren’t just developing skills; we’re creating meaningful careers that support our business and the wider economy.”
Managing Director Eric Nicholls put it just as plainly:
“Apprentices are the lifeblood of our business. It is vital that we keep inspiring and training the workforce of the future to be part of our highly skilled team.”
We were also recently featured in an Enginuity video on Cornwall’s approach to apprenticeships and local talent development serving a good reminder that this support for vocational learning isn’t new for us, and it isn’t going anywhere.
Watch the coverage
Missed the live broadcast? You can catch up on Steph McGovern’s coverage of the day below.