BGL Group, the company behind the comparethemarket price comparison site, is using the launch of National Apprenticeships Week to launch a new training and development programme, designed to help the organisation develop its core digital, data and marketing capabilities.

The company claims the BGL Academy will offer high-quality specialised career development, ranging from entry-level roles to post-graduate degree qualifications. A key element of the scheme will be a new apprenticeship scheme which will see the group create more than 200 apprentice roles across its sites over the next year.

The academy also incorporates BGL’s existing graduate programme, which has seen 50 graduates trained in a variety of specialist roles in marketing, finance and technology in the five years since its launch.

In addition, its established Business Pathway programme for A-level school leavers, which offers apprentices the opportunity to gain a broad overview of all areas of the business, becomes part of the scheme, bringing all of BGL’s emerging talent under one umbrella.

There will be three levels to the programme;  Foundation level apprenticeships are available for those with qualifications up to GCSE level, while Advanced and Higher level apprenticeships are designed for people with A-levels and degrees.

Those joining the programme will have a range of different roles to choose from, depending on their field of interest, including data, digital, tech, customer service, finance, HR and pricing.

BGL Group chief executive Matthew Donaldson said: “The launch of the BGL Academy is a great example of our commitment to people development and our aim of making BGL a great place to work. The Academy will play to the strength of our data, digital, brand and marketing capabilities and will allow us to share our expertise in these areas with talented people to develop the industry professionals of the future."