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Employer case studies

Success stories from the UK’s top employers.

PROVEN IMPACT

How Holiday Extras is Building the Future of Tech Talent

When a 40+ year-old travel tech business needed to grow its engineering team but traditional hiring routes weren’t cutting it- Holiday Extras tried something different.

Instead of fighting for talent in a crowded market, they partnered with Makers to reskill their own people.

Since 2018, Holiday Extras has:

  • Hired 18 Makers learners

  • Retained 75% of apprentices over seven years

  • Built a leadership pipeline tailored to tech

  • Seen performance gains of up to 30% on key features

Read the full case study

Investing in internal talent is a priority for us; our people know our business, understand our customers, and are key to our long-term growth. Makers continue to evolve their delivery, using the apprenticeship framework to provide high-quality training that upskills and reskills our people.

Michelle Clarke Cowell Associate Director Sustainability & Employee Experience at Holiday Extras
Michelle-Clarke-Cowell-Headshots-2024-03286-2

2x

faster promotion
to mid than graduates

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In partnership since 2014.

30%

Distinctions achieved as part of Tech Track

hm-government

TechTrack is a 3 year programme creating 1,100 new digital apprentices across government departments.

88%

Apprentices from ethnic minority backgrounds driving change

 

 

financial-times-logo

In partnership since 2015.

Proven impact

Makers at RVU

RVU is a group of online companies that work to empower consumers by helping them compare home services and financial products. Their leading brands, Uswitch and Money, exist to empower the consumer to make more confident home services and financial decisions.

RVU had been trying to find a way to bring in early stage engineers with a view to building a pipeline of future technical leaders. In this case study Ryan Greenhall, Engineering Manager at RVU talks about how Makers helped.

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RVU
Talent

Makers connected RVU with skilled career changers, bringing fresh perspectives and problem-solving abilities.

Onboarding

Makers graduates had the technical and soft skills to integrate quickly and contribute from day one.

Growth

RVU gained adaptable engineers committed to growth, strengthening their mentorship-driven environment.

Proven impact

Makers x Holiday Extras

By 2018, Holiday Extras was growing fast - but building a pipeline of exceptional tech talent on the south coast of England wasn’t easy. The business had tried traditional hiring routes, but they weren’t delivering the diversity, agility, or retention they needed.

Agencies were expensive, Industrial Placement schemes filled some of the need. However, Holiday Extras still saw an opportunity to go further in developing engineers into confident, capable leaders.

 

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Talent

The focus was clear - find people with potential, and back them to grow and build a career at Holiday Extras.

Onboarding

Makers-trained engineers stand out - learning fast, contributing early, and growing into tech leaders who thrive in uncertainty.

Growth

With a 75% retention rate among apprentices, Makers-trained engineers aren’t just sticking around - they’re progressing to the highest levels of the business. 

partnership news

Kraken is working with Makers to create a Green Dent in the Universe, one Apprentice at a Time

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"I'm excited about our partnership with Makers and our upcoming apprenticeship initiative. At Kraken, we're not just looking for coders; we're seeking future innovators, problem-solvers to help us make a big green dent in the universe. Think of it as a launchpad into an exciting tech career."

Mike Yorwerth Chief Operating Officer at Kraken
Mike

WORKING WITH US

What to Expect

Hear from our partners about the immediate impact that Makers apprenticeships are having on their tech teams.
  • "Makers apprentices all hit the ground running. Our Makers engineers have been our highest engaged with the teams and with the business."
    Gary Stevens Director
  • "Why Makers? Because they get it. They're masters at turning raw potential into real-world skills."
    Mike Yorwerth COO
  • "One misconception about apprenticeships is that you don’t see value for two years. But our experience is the opposite. From the moment Makers grads join the team, they’re shipping code, contributing to sprints, and adding value." 
    Peter Saunby Engineering Manager
  • "Makers Academy is a Conveyor Belt of Awesome. An ability to teach yourself new things is ingrained into the curriculum at Makers. Deloitte has hired 84 people from Makers in recent years.”
    Martin Aspeli Partner & COO
  • “We’re seeing apprentices who started with us now mentoring the next cohort, it’s a full circle. It just works - it’s its own living organism.”
    Zara Koch People Advisor

    Proven value

    3-Sep-30-2025-09-15-09-2663-AM

    Makers at the Financial Times

    Watch how the FT have worked with Makers Academy to solidify their commitment to helping grow diverse junior talent.

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    4-Sep-30-2025-09-15-18-0350-AM

    Makers at LexisNexis

    A look at how Makers are helping embed agile working practices into the culture of their team.

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    Makers Alumni Impact

    Hear how Makers Alumni are driving impact and innovation in organisations across the industry.

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    • "Makers apprentices all hit the ground running. Our Makers engineers have been our highest engaged with the teams and with the business."

      Gary Stevens Director

    • "Why Makers? Because they get it. They're masters at turning raw potential into real-world skills."

      Mike Yorwerth COO

    • "One misconception about apprenticeships is that you don’t see value for two years. But our experience is the opposite. From the moment Makers grads join the team, they’re shipping code, contributing to sprints, and adding value." 

      Peter Saunby Engineering Manager

    • "Makers Academy is a Conveyor Belt of Awesome. An ability to teach yourself new things is ingrained into the curriculum at Makers. Deloitte has hired 84 people from Makers in recent years.”

       

      Martin Aspeli Partner & COO

    • “We’re seeing apprentices who started with us now mentoring the next cohort, it’s a full circle. It just works - it’s its own living organism.”

      Zara Koch People Advisor

      Working with us

      What to expect

      Hear from our partners about the immediate impact that Makers apprenticeships are having on their tech teams.

      Trusted by top companies to revolutionise their teams

      • Google
      • Microsoft
      • Deloitte Digital
      • monzo
      • Comparethemarket
      • Ford
      • HM Government
      • EY
      • Ovo energy
      • Aviva
      • Transport for London
      • Elsevier

      Get in touch

      From job-ready engineers to leadership development, Makers helps businesses build high-performing teams. Tell us what you need, and we’ll find - or develop - the right people to drive your success.

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