Thelma J Murphy

Thelma runs the business with three other employees and a few sub-contractors which highlights that whatever its size, a company can benefit from having an apprentice on board.

When her Personal Assistant moved into the role of Finance Assistant, Thelma knew she wanted an apprentice to fill the gap. She took on her apprentice after advice from the Warwickshire College Business Relationship Manager, who understood the business’s needs. The apprentice was recruited via the National Apprentice Service, saving the business time and money in advertising.

Thelma said: “I have two children of a similar age and I know how hard it is to get a job. I thought the role would be ideal for an apprentice. I gained advice from the Warwickshire College Business Relationship manager, who understood my business’s needs.

“I needed to employ a candidate who had a mature attitude, a good work ethic and an aptitude for finance due to the nature of the business. We are also situated in a semirural location so we thought it would be a plus point to employ someone who lived fairly close by.

“Our apprentice, Dominic, came along for an interview and we were impressed with his attitude and skills so we offered him a job as our business administration apprentice straight away. He goes to Warwickshire College one day a week and then works at our business for the other four days. He is quickly learning all the different aspects of our business and his enthusiasm is brilliant.

This shows that it doesn’t matter how large or small your business is, there are many benefits to employing an apprentice.”