Employers say...

Employers have found that apprentices make a real difference to their business, giving them the opportunity to train the apprentice in the way their individual organisation operates.

Steve Williams, Trelawny

Trelawny SPT Ltd manufactures tools and machines for surface preparation. The firm began taking on on apprentices in order to meet recruitment needs within the business.

The company currently has three apprentices, working in engineering, quality engineering and logistics.

General Manager, Steve Williams, explained: “We are a small company of 25 staff and we were finding that we couldn’t recruit staff with the skills we needed. We took the strategic decision to open up our vacancies to apprentices and to train up our own people with the right skills to work in our company. When there is a vacancy now, we see if an apprenticeship would be suitable.

“We are taking the long term view that it is important to invest in the skills for the future of our company. Apprenticeships enable us to recruit people with the right attitude and enthusiasm, who want to get ahead – after a couple of years, we have a member of staff who is exactly trained to our requirements.

“Warwickshire College provided lots of help and support to us throughout the process of setting up the apprenticeship scheme."

Cyril Onyejekwe, Romec

Romec is a facilities management services company that has had its apprentices trained at Warwickshire College for the last two years. Apprentices work on block release in specialist areas like heating, plumbing and electrical.

Technical Apprentice Mentor Cyril Onyejekwe  says: “Businesses always need fresh talent to take them forwards. The apprenticeship scheme gives us the opportunity to train young people with the specific skills needed to work in our company. They learn about our business needs and are multi-skilled, making them an invaluable asset and providing future security for Romec.

“The apprenticeship scheme gives young people a job straight from school and equips them with so many skills that they are set up for life and ready for the challenges
of the world.”

Dave Darlington, North Leamington School

ICT Network Manager Dave Darlington manages the IT apprentices at North Leamington School.

Dave says: “If I had the choice between appointing someone with practical experience or someone from a university course, I’d go for the person with experience every time. 

“The business benefits significantly from the training our apprentices receive, without us having to concern ourselves with it: I know that my apprentices are being well trained which means that I can concentrate on managing their work.

“As far as I am concerned, my apprentices are not just an ‘extra pair of hands’, they are technicians and an essential part of the team here.”

Camillia Salter, Warwickshire College

Camillia Salter is the college's Assistant HR Director, and supervises business administration apprentice Emma Lorberg, in the second year of her apprenticeship, working in the college’s HR department.

Camillia says: “This was our first experience of having an apprentice in the HR department and in Emma, we have found an excellent trainee. She is very professional and her work is of very high quality.

“Because apprentices study while they are working, they gain an important grounding in business skills, putting what they have learned into practice straightaway in your organisation. The training apprentices receive fills the skills gaps which you might otherwise need to address with a regular school leaver.

"A major advantage we have found is being able to train an apprentice in the values of the organisation - the way we want things done.  We will certainly consider taking on an apprentice again.”