Meet The Team: Fabiola, Head of Apprenticeships

At EFI Training, we are proud to have Fabiola OseiHwedieh as our Head of Apprenticeships. She plays a crucial role in shaping the experience of our learners and partners. Here’s a quick introduction to her background, role and advice for anyone considering apprenticeships. 

Fabiola’s Background  

Fabiola brings a strong background in work-based learning and skills to her role. She joined the Fashion Retail Academy (now part of EFI Group) in 2016 to establish an industry-led apprenticeship programme. What began with just 4 apprentices has grown into 450 apprentices enrolled this academic year.  

As a passionate advocate for accessible, practical learning, Fabiola is dedicated to helping individuals, especially young people, gain valuable skills, real-world experience, and formal qualifications while earning a fair wage. 

As Head of Apprenticeships, she oversees all apprenticeship provision across the EFI Group, ensuring they’re at a high-quality, employer-responsive, and focused on successful outcomes. Her work plays a key role in delivering EFI Group’s vision: to shape the industry leaders of tomorrow by ensuring that apprenticeships are a transformational route to skilled employment. 

How Do Apprenticeships Benefit Learners and Brands? 

We asked Fabiola to share her thoughts on the value of apprenticeships - for both learners and businesses: 

For Learners: 

• Hands on experience - Learn real-world skills from experienced professionals 
• Bridges the gap between theory and practice - Apply academic learning directly to the workplace 
• Earn while you learn - Get paid while gaining qualifications, easing financial pressure compared to traditional education 
• Career pathways - Many apprenticeships lead to full-time employment 
• Develop industry- specific and ‘power’ skills - Build relevant, transferable competencies  
• Accredited qualifications - Gain recognised credentials that boost employability 
• Networking opportunities - Connect with professionals and industry leaders for mentorship and guidance 

For Brands: 

• Talent pipeline - Shape future talent to fit your company culture and needs, reducing recruitment costs
• Increased productivity - Apprentices contribute while learning on the job
• Fresh perspectives - Bring in news ideas and tech-savviness
• Improved retention - Apprentices often stay longer, reducing turnover
• Corporate Social Responsibility - Investing in apprenticeships supports social mobility and workforce development 
• Tailored skill development - Influence the training your future workforce receives, depending on company needs

What Makes EFI Training's Apprenticeships Stand Out?

As part of Education For Industry Group's most recent Ofsted inspection, we are proud that apprenticeships delivered by EFI Training through the Fashion Retail Academy were judged to be Outstanding. 

What makes our offer unique? 

• We focus on building strong, ongoing relationships to stay ahead of industry trends and demands 
• We take a robust approach to identifying skill gaps and creating learning-focused solutions for our partners 
• We’re agile - constantly enhancing existing programmes and developing new ones 
• We reinvest profits into EFI Group’s mission of nurturing the next generation of retail talent

Fabiola's advice to those considering an apprenticeship programme is to:

What’s Next for EFI Training? 

We’re proud to launch two new apprenticeship programmes: 

• Level 4 Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability Practitioner, in partnership with brands including Marks & Spencer and Selfridges. 
• Level 5 Coaching Professional, in partnership with brands such as Office, VF Corporation, URBN and EFI Group.

Both programmes have been shaped by research, industry insight and collaboration through focus groups, ensuring they meet real-world needs from day one.