Apprenticeship case studies

Axis has had Apprenticeships in place for around 8 years. When we first started with them, we had an ageing workforce. We were conscious that young people weren’t necessarily interested in working in electronics manufacturing, we wanted to inspire them to work their way up through the company and become our managers of the future.

Over the past 8 years we have employed around 20 apprentices. We currently have 4 apprentices on programme, all in production roles. In order to give them an idea of the range of career opportunities at Axis and a thorough understanding of how the business works, they will spend 6 month periods working in different departments.

Our Apprenticeship programme lasts for 3 years. By the end of this period we will know which departments and positions the apprentices have been most successful in and which they have enjoyed the most. All of our apprentices are offered a permanent job role on completing their Apprenticeships. We work closely with Bedford College as our training provider and the support we receive from them is excellent. They advertise the roles for us through

Apprenticeship vacancies and on their website. Bedford College also carry out the first sift of the applicant applications. We then review these, compile a shortlist, invite them in for an interview, and carry out a dexterity test with them to see how well they follow instructions.

Although the nature of our work limits the number of applicants we generally receive, we have always been pleased with the quality of the applications to our programme.

For us, the most important thing is the apprentice’s attitude. We are looking for someone who shows an interest in the business, makes the effort and is going to be committed to working for us.

We build a range of different products, supplying Printed Circuit Boards (PCB) for high-end and high- reliability products - anything from Formula 1 cars to military vehicles and commercial airlines. Because of making life-critical products, reliability is key. For example, failure is simply not an option for the ejector seat in a fighter jet. To get a better idea of the products that we create, you can visit our website: www.axis-electronics.com

2 of our apprentices are now in team leader positions. It is part of our ongoing plan to continue to take on 2 new apprentices per year. We are also looking at the possibility of introducing a Purchasing Apprenticeship, dependent on finding the right Apprenticeship framework and provider.

The main business benefits for us of employing apprentices are:

• Filling the gaps within our workforce
• Boosting morale within the company
• Developing leadership skills in our up and coming team leaders or managers
• Enabling our more established staff to share their knowledge and expertise

In the first year, the apprentices are at College for 2 days per week, so there is a cost to the business. However, we do find that within about 6 weeks they will be working on real jobs and bringing some real value to the company.

We take on apprentices at 18 years of age after they have completed their A Levels. Our day starts at 7:30am, so we need mature individuals who are going be reliable and can demonstrate a level of commitment. In return, we create a mutually supportive environment, and will help to fund the training of an HNC and HND for our staff if they want to study and want to invest in their future.

New apprentices are buddied up with someone who has been through the Apprenticeship. They will have a line manager who will be their day to day contact, a Training Specialist who oversees their on-the-job training and also HR support for other needs such as travel.

My advice to other businesses in Bedford would be that Apprenticeships are a great way to get local young people interested and engaged in your business from a very early stage. With a proper support network in place, we have found that the more you invest in your apprentices, the more they invest in you – they will want to stay and work hard for your company.

The best thing about taking on an apprentice is the shared sense of achievement. As apprentices achieve their qualifications and learn new skills, it gives the workforce a real boost to share in their success. It makes us feel good about our business - we don’t take apprentices because we have to, we take apprentices because we want to. apprentices are not cheap labour; they are an investment that you make for the future.

Sarah Clough, HR Director

Colleen Hunter from Biddenham International School & Sports College said:

As Data Manager at Biddenham School, Colleen is in charge of overseeing a wide range of tasks around student data, including controlling assessments, setting up templates for teachers to input their assessment data, preparing data for analysis and pulling off various ad hoc reports

Three years ago the school opened up to Year 7 and Year 8 students and subsequently the workload increased with a constant rolling of assessments throughout the year, now for seven individual year groups.

Colleen contacted Bedford College in search of a Business Admin apprentice and, after looking through a number of CVs, hired Jodie.

“I needed someone willing to work autonomously and show initiative; both skills that Jodie showed at interview. She was an ex-dance teacher and so had knowledge of safeguarding and being around young people; she even organised the students for their annual photos on her second day!

“Jodie now works with the Exam Officer, Heads of Years and our SENCO team. I’ve encouraged her to work with staff from day one and now people go straight to Jodie for help; she has made a big impact on the team.”

Jodie spends one day a month at College with her mentor and fellow apprentices where she can share her experiences with other students; something she has found very beneficial.

“I would certainly consider taking on another apprentice,” said Colleen. “If I could give one piece of advice to another employer it would be to make sure you are clear in your job description about the role of the apprentice, so that those applying know what to expect.”

To find out more about how Apprenticeships can help your organisation face future challenges, please telephone 01234 291747 or email training@bedford.ac.uk

Rosa Raffermati from Capello Hair Design said:

"Working with Bedford College has been very straightforward. I took on an apprentice that had done her Level 1 and was near to completing her Level 2. I had been in discussions with the college to find me an apprentice and I felt they listened to my salon’s needs. My apprentice is now doing her Level 3 and is very content attending college which I think is a testament to the college”

“Taking on an apprentice is a big decision to make as they are a valuable team member, they are a great support to all the team and the salon runs far smoother with them in it. I look on apprentices as future stylists to hopefully remain in my team. I believe in training and supporting them and passing on my skills. It is very fulfilling to watch them develop and blossom into stylists. Ultimately apprentices are our future in the industry and they should be trained to a high standard. College is very good at training the theory background to the industry and the salon to support the practical side.”

To find out more about how Apprenticeships can help your organisation face future challenges, please telephone 01234 291747 or email training@bedford.ac.uk

Apprenticeships help put Dalroad Norslo in pole position for expansion
Luton based Dalroad Norslo is a supplier of automotive components for manufacturers and companies such as Bosch, Sumtimo, TE Connectivity, Lear, Savoy, XB Components, Vignal and Valeo.  The business has expanded rapidly during the past three years including acquiring two new companies in the last twelve months.

Apprenticeships fill skills gap
With this rapid growth, came the need for more specialist staff, and it became clear to the management that they were facing a skills’ gap.  Candidates applying for the vacancies either didn’t have the skills Dalroad Norslo needed or they were over qualified.  Steven Carpenter, Operations Manager said:

“When the hiring process began we quickly discovered that candidates had problems fitting in with the specialist nature of our business, so we decided to try Apprenticeships.  Both David Chinn-Shaw, the Managing Director of the company and I had both been apprentices so we knew how good the scheme was, and, after initially being let down by our local apprenticeship provider, we turned to Bedford College. ”

Billy Gethin completed a Warehousing and Storage Apprenticeship and then moved into the office to deal with customers and account management as a Business Administration Apprentice.  Steven added:

“The beauty about Apprenticeships is that young people are able to earn and learn at the same time.  As a business we are investing in their future and giving them the chance to get a broad, in-depth understanding of how the business works and we can show them the Dalroad way of doing things.  They can start off in the warehouse dealing with fulfilment, then move into the commercial side, dealing directly with customers or specialise in the electronic, technical side of the business. It provides both parties with options and flexibility.”

Getting paid to learn
From Billy’s point of view, the Apprenticeship has provided him with the best option to advance his career, he said:  “I didn’t want to go to university so this Apprenticeship seemed liked a great opportunity for me to go to College and learn while I’m getting paid and gaining experience in the workplace.  On a typical day I can be sending quotes to customers, entering orders on our internal computer system, dealing with customer queries and liaising with suppliers. I’ve really enjoyed my time as an apprentice so far and I have found it extremely rewarding”

Moving forward, Dalroad Norslo needs to consolidate their recent acquisitions and taking on more apprentices is a key part of this strategy.  Steven added: “There’s no doubt that having the apprentices on board has given us the extra man power we’ve needed to support our business growth.  We currently have three full-time apprentices with Bedford College and we intend to take on another two very soon.  We’ll definitely use Bedford College again as they have provided us with an excellent service, including filling out all the necessary paperwork and regularly visiting us on site.”

To find out more about how Apprenticeships can help your organisation face future challenges, please telephone 01234 291747 or email training@bedford.ac.uk

Gill Lyon from Elma Electronics UK Ltd said:

Gill has been with Elma Electronics on Priory Park, Bedford for 22 years and is also the day-to-day manager of their current Engineering apprentice, Josh Ludovico. The company design and build bespoke enclosures for electrical and mechanical systems, and while they have previously had apprentices on the shop floor, Josh is their first mechanical apprentice working on the CAD systems with the design team.

“Although we have a strong and stable team,” says Gill, “we’re aware how important apprentices are for the future growth of the company.

“We’ve hired existing Design Engineers but we’ve found they’re not productive straight away, as they have to get used to new systems and ways of doing things. Our design cycle is only about 12 weeks here, whereas in some companies it can be a couple of years, so new staff can struggle with the pace. Our apprentices however start with this pace and only get better.

“In fact we have one employee who did the same course as Josh, starting out on the shop floor and now he is a full-time designer with us.”

So what’s the benefits to the apprentices themselves?

“We aim to employ enthusiastic young engineers who we can provide with experience of the processes company-wide, so that they can become a key member of the team within two to three years.

“You don’t get to be involved in the whole lifecycle of a product in all companies, but here our apprentices do. Josh spends one day working in the office, and two days in other departments such as goods in and despatch. The other two days he studies at College.”

Gill says Josh’s College work is very valuable as it focuses on the hands-on skills needed to know what is possible to be built from designs. The relationship with the College also means she can see what work he is doing and how he is progressing.

To find out more about how Apprenticeships can help your organisation face future challenges, please telephone 01234 291747 or email training@bedford.ac.uk

Industry:  Automotive

IT apprentices Nasar Khan and Jessica Snook are helping to drive success at Vauxhall in Luton. Both apprentices are currently completing their Advanced Level 3 Apprenticeship and will then move on to their HNC and HND higher education qualifications.

Nasar is an IT Site Services Apprentice for UK, Ireland & Nordic dealing with internal customers within the business functions such as Human Resources (HR) and Marketing. His job involves him assisting users with any hardware or software faults to ensure there is minimal disruption to the business. Nasar said: “I really enjoy troubleshooting hardware and software faults and interacting with different customers everyday trying to resolve their IT problems.”

Jessica is also an IT Apprentice and is currently with Global Finance document warehousing where she makes legal and regulatory changes to a financial application for approximately 30 countries.  Jessica explained that after getting her A Levels she decided that university wasn’t for her and that an Apprenticeship made much more sense: “I could have gone to university, but the Vauxhall Apprenticeship gave me a few years’ experience in the workplace as well as being paid to get my qualifications.” 

Jessica particularly values being able to gain experience in the different areas of IT at Vauxhall.  She said: “My first role was IT support at the Vauxhall warehouse and my second role was IT support at the Vauxhall Vivaro Production Plant. Next, I’m moving into IT Planning.  It’s really good to get an understanding of the different IT roles in the whole of the company.”   Nasar added: “When I first started my Apprenticeship I was an IT analyst providing users with remote support, I then moved into an IT engineering role. My next job will be classified under IT Contact centres.”

Nasar finished school at 16 and he feels it’s important that, as an apprentice, he’s learning on the job dealing with different customers. Nasar said: “You can learn from a book but it’s completely different to when you’re faced with real life situations at work. Learning hands on skills at Vauxhall has allowed me to develop my technical knowledge and practical skills. It has been an amazing opportunity for me and one which I greatly appreciate.”

Jessica added: “I think the Apprenticeship has given me a lot of advantages.  I now know how businesses work and I also have the qualifications to back it up.” Nasar also believes that the IT Apprenticeship has allowed him to understand how IT is needed within large companies in order for them to operate effectively.

In terms of their time spent at Bedford College, both Nasar and Jessica have been impressed with the IT facilities available to them. Nasar said: “The College has provided us with great facilities to learn from.  In terms of hardware and software they’ve got all of the equipment we need in order for us to develop our IT knowledge and skills. The tutors are also qualified in well known courses such as Cisco and CompTIA A+.” 

Jessica added: “During our first year at College we did an IT maintenance course – when we learnt to take apart a computer and then put it back together again. The College has also been able to change and tailor the units to my company’s needs.  For example, Project Management was added in as a new module because we use this a lot in the business environment.  It’s great that the College is so adaptable.” 

Hislop & Co offer grounds and garden maintenance services across the region to commercial clients including hotels, schools, business parks and property management companies. While they focus on providing excellent service alongside industry best practice, they have found a significant shortage of qualified horticulturalists who work to these high standards.

The apprenticeship scheme has been the answer to this recruitment challenge that the company has faced, as Amanda explains: “We have used Bedford College for apprentices for a number of years now. We advertise directly each year for new apprentices and then suitable candidates are enrolled at Shuttleworth College.”

Hadleigh Spicer is Hislop and Co’s current apprentice. “Hadleigh was recruited in 2018,” said Amanda, “and at that time, was new to the industry following a career change. We’ve seen Hadleigh grown in confidence, not only with his horticultural knowledge, but in his ability to assist team leaders and other members of staff. We consider him a core member of the team.”

Amanda and her team have also had numerous past success stories with apprentices, including their very first apprentice who is now a team leader servicing a number of prestigious independent schools across the region. In fact, all apprentices who successfully complete their course are offered permanent roles within the company, which means Hislop & Co save on direct and indirect recruitment costs.

“Hislop’s commitment to staff training and development, as well as the support we and our apprentices have received from Bedford College during the apprenticeships, has led to a very good return on investment,” says Amanda.

To find out more about how Apprenticeships can help your organisation face future challenges, please telephone 01234 291747 or email training@bedford.ac.uk

Maydencroft is an environmental consulting and contracting company based in Hertfordshire. With four divisions (consultancy, contracting, ecology and farming), the company covers many different land-based sectors. They have previously had arboriculture apprentices and currently have apprentices in horticulture. They have recently welcomed Holly Grant, their first Livestock apprentice, through Shuttleworth College. Holly is on the Agriculture Higher Apprenticeship programme, which is a new Level 4 programme for 2016.

Ashlea Lewis, Human Resources Manager at Maydencroft said: “The land-based industry is growing and there are still not enough skilled people, which is why we have started to employ apprentices in this area and have plans to take on more.

“Land-based skills are a dying trade and if we stop taking on new employees now, we will be missing the skills again in a few years’ time.  Our Managing Director and Founder, Tom Williams is passionate about the next generation.”

Maydencroft have found the apprenticeship scheme to be very successful and have been pleasantly surprised by the maturity of the apprentices. “Our apprentices have brought a youthful energy to the company and it’s helped other employees step up their game,” said Ashlea.

“The apprentices themselves gain a lot of confidence working here. When I see them for their reviews, I notice an inspiring change.

“Our objective is to keep our apprentices and to grow them.  We aim to make sure they get everything they need out of the programme so that they put back into the company. It’s about listening to them and adjusting as necessary.”

Millbrook drives business forward with Apprenticeship succession plan
Millbrook Proving Ground is one of Europe’s leading independent technology centres for the design, engineering, testing and development of automotive and propulsion systems.  Set on a 700 acre site with 70 kilometres of testing area, Millbrook’s custom-built facility provides virtually every test, validation and homologation service necessary for today's demanding automotive industry.

Recruitment refuel
In 2011, Millbrook decided to make significant changes to its recruitment strategy by relaunching its Apprenticeship scheme.  “We started by taking on seven apprentices,” explained Vanessa Heesom, HR Advisor, “We were looking for a sustainable, long-term solution as an addition to recruiting university graduates.  We wanted to invest in the local community and give good career opportunities to young people from the area.”

Vanessa explained that one of the keys to the success of the Millbrook Apprenticeship scheme was finding candidates with the right behaviours.  They needed apprentices with a good basic knowledge of maths and science, and who had an interest in engineering.  In addition, it was very important for the apprentices to demonstrate a positive attitude to learning and take their College work seriously.  Good time keeping, an excellent attendance record, a mature attitude and good communication skills were also important attributes that Millbrook looked for in their apprentices.

College cruise control
Another reason for the success of the Millbrook Apprenticeship was the company’s partnership with Bedford College, who provided all the formal training.  Vanessa said:  “We’ve worked really well with Bedford College over the last few years, the partnership has run smoothly and worked well for us.”

Most of Millbrook’s apprentices spend four days a week in College during their first year.  This is quite unusual for an Apprenticeship scheme, but it works very well for Millbrook because their apprentices need to have a certain level of technical understanding and expertise before they can start to apply it to their day-to-day work.  

Joe Campion, Records and Release Engineer and one of Millbrook’s first apprentices, feels his Apprenticeship has been a great alternative to university, he said:  “When I left school I wasn’t sure exactly what I wanted to do, but I realised this Apprenticeship offered a great chance to get a good qualification in engineering and paid experience in the workplace at the same time. I particularly enjoyed my first year, which was hands on - not just reading books!”  He added, “An Apprenticeship is really worthwhile and a great alternative to going to university.” 

Vanessa added:  “From Millbrook’s perspective, the Apprenticeship scheme with Bedford College has been very successful.  The fact that we’ve taken on new apprentices year on year since 2011, not only in the core engineering areas, but also in support roles such as business administration, is testament to this.  Another key success factor is that on completion of their studies our apprentices take on roles within the company and continue to grow and develop.  We are looking forward to their long term career in full engineer roles as they complete their courses  It’s great to see such successful outcomes for everyone involved.”

To find out more about how Apprenticeships can help your organisation face future challenges, please telephone 01234 291747 or email training@bedford.ac.uk

Sarah is the Manager of the Clapham-based PuddleDuck Nursery, which also has sites in Silsoe and London. She has worked with Bedford College and their apprentices over many years, and during her work at two of the sites, has taken on around 10 apprentices.

Sarah does not think twice about employing apprentices over qualified agency staff and her current apprentice, Mollie, is going above and beyond in her role.

"Our ethos is to provide a caring environment for children. We follow the child's routine and enable them to become confident and ready for school,” said Sarah.

"We are an enthusiastic team and our apprentices are equally enthusiastic. We don't like using supply staff and will always have an apprentice in the nursery. We want our staff to grow in the PuddleDuck way and understand and embrace our values.

"I've never had an apprentice like Mollie and probably never will again. She's very good; you'd think she was fully qualified already. She’s confident and reliable, and keen to move on in her career, maybe on to a degree.”

Sarah’s apprentices gain experience across the nursery in the different aged rooms (0-2, 2-3 and 3-4) and take one day a week off to study in College.

"The biggest challenge of taking on an apprentice is getting the right person; someone who is happy to do everything. It's getting harder to find outdoorsy people and being outdoors in nature is such an important part of our day here at PuddleDucks.

So what advice would Sarah give to another employer looking to hire an apprentice? "You have to give them some autonomy - that's so important. Overall you get out of the apprenticeship scheme what you put in and it takes no time for you and your team members to give an encouraging word every day."

To find out more about how Apprenticeships can help your organisation face future challenges, please telephone 01234 291747 or email training@bedford.ac.uk

Sharnbrook Academy Federation (SAF) is a Multi Academy Trust (MAT) in Bedford Borough and we currently have five academies in our Federation. We exist to provide an outstanding education for all our students, putting their progress at the heart of everything we do. We also strongly believe in continuous educational development and training for all our staff as well as our students. This includes within each of our academies and in partnership with Bedford College.

This year SAF have been actively working with Bedford College and have hired two Level 2 Teaching Assistant apprentices to join Great Ouse Primary Academy teaching staff. The training and delivery of the course has been very well managed and our liaison with the course managers and tutors has been excellent.

Teaching Assistant Apprentice Hannah, aged 17, said: “I have been educated in SAF schools since year 5 and decided to leave school at 17 to pursue a different career route to A Levels and University. I applied to volunteer in two SAF primaries and this inspired me to follow a career as a TA. The apprentice route through Bedford College has been a valuable experience. The College are very good at supporting my learning in a work based environment.”

Second Teaching Assistant Apprentice Belinda, aged 34, said: “I originally started in a SAF school as a kitchen assistant and I was lucky enough to be supported in gaining a catering qualification. After continuing this work at Great Ouse, I was able to change career direction by successfully enrolling on the TA Apprentice programme at Bedford College. I have always worked in a school environment and the opportunity to work more directly with children as a TA and studying with Bedford College is a really positive step in my own learning and career journey.”

The experience of our two TA apprentices currently working at Great Ouse Primary Academy illustrate the diverse nature of who the programme is relevant to and also who can benefit from the opportunity provided by Bedford College in partnership with SAF.

Peter Rose, Director of Education and Learning at SAF, said: “The partnership with Bedford College on the apprenticeship programme is going from strength to strength and we are now actively looking at how we can expand this opportunity across all our academies and in a variety of jobs. The commitment to support young people train and find a fulfilling place in a working environment and our commitment to existing colleagues to retrain is an important part of our continued investment in students and staff studying with and working for SAF.”

Stevenage Borough Council’s new apprentice takes root
As a local employer, Stevenage Borough Council offers apprenticeships in a variety of roles including, customer service, leisure, housing and environmental services and last year organised an assessment day to find new team members, including Suzanna Ginger.

Suzanna Ginger is an apprentice Arboricultural Inspector in the Street Scene team, whose work includes helping with the management of 29,000 trees in the streets and open spaces of Stevenage. Part of the team’s responsibilities include looking after the tree preservation orders and the protection of other trees on council owned land as well as undertaking tree surveys, risk assessments and tree removal where necessary.

Stevenage Borough Councillor Joan Lloyd, Executive Member for Resources, said “It is a tough time for people trying to find jobs, especially those leaving school or college, which is why we’re committed to supporting people into work and developing the town’s talent with our apprenticeship scheme. At our assessment day, the Street Scene team were looking for someone who could help the team deal with customers and assess their arboriculture queries, which is the role that Suzanna is now in.

“Our apprentices have really excelled themselves so far and it is great to recognise them as a shining example of the talent and potential in young people in the town. I know from speaking to the Street Scene team that Suzanna was an ideal candidate for the role. Although she didn’t have a background in the area she now works in, she demonstrated a can do attitude and enthusiasm for the role.”

From Suzanna’s point of view, the apprenticeship has been a whole new experience for her, “My background is in restaurant management and as much as I loved my job, I was looking for something with more of a work life balance. When I applied for the council’s apprenticeship scheme, I originally thought I wanted to work in housing, but at the assessment day, the Street Scene team spotted me and thought I’d be good for the arboriculture role and I haven’t looked back.”

Suzanna enjoys the fact that her apprentice role is so varied. From answering residents’ telephone enquiries to going out into the town and inspecting some of the thousands of trees the team are responsible for and undertaking risk assessments.  She added:  “I also go to Shuttleworth College one day a week and take on practical training for my job, including how to use a chainsaw. I’ve learnt a lot on the course and would like to thank my tutors for the help they’ve given me over the past year.”

Work over the next few months looks busy for Suzanna and the team. They’ll soon be conducting a major survey of all the trees in the town, something that the team has to undertake every five years, looking at the condition of the trees. With Suzanna now on board, the team will be in a better position to carry out the survey more efficiently.

To find out more about how Apprenticeships can help your organisation face future challenges, please telephone 01234 291747 or email training@bedford.ac.uk

Urbanite Hair in Bedford opened in 2004 and owner Maria has had apprentices with Bedford College from day one.

Having been a college student herself, at a time when apprenticeships were less accessible and it wasn’t easy to gain the work experience needed, Maria now champions apprenticeships and welcomes a new apprentice into her company every couple of years.

“Some of my apprentices stay on after they finish and some go on to careers elsewhere,” said Maria. “By investing time and knowledge into an apprentice, you are putting a good quality hairdresser out into the industry. The structure of apprenticeships enables them to learn to the best of their ability.”

Maria’s current apprentice is Josh, who is studying for the Level 2 hairdressing apprenticeship.

“Josh is a pleasure to work with. It’s nice to have apprentices who are enthusiastic and eager to learn, and to find people with a real flair for it, just like Josh has.

“I try and follow what my apprentices are learning in College so that it doesn’t get confusing for them, even though we implement things slightly differently; so they end up getting the best of both worlds.

“I have a good relationship with the College. I find some apprentices myself and others the College recommends to me.”

So what advice would Maria give to fellow employers considering taking on an apprentice?

“If you have the time to invest in an apprentice then it’s a good way to ensure that the future stylists you employ work to your own high standards.”

To find out more about how Apprenticeships can help your organisation face future challenges, please telephone 01234 291747 or email training@bedford.ac.uk

Industry: Automotive
Apprentices: Harlan Todd, Service Technician Apprentice

For Harlan Todd becoming an apprentice in the automotive industry after leaving school was an easy decision.  “I just thought it was so much better to earn while you learn.” He said. Not only do you get great hands on experience in industry, but you also get a qualification at the end of your Apprenticeship.”

Harlan works at Vauxhall’s Technical Centre in Luton and particularly values being able to work on real customers’ cars and dealing with technical issues that the Vauxhall Dealership technicians are not able to solve. “Every day is different and no two jobs are the same, so it’s really interesting. I’ve even had the chance to be involved in changing an engine on a new Chevrolet Corvette, which is quite a unique experience!”

Harlan also enjoys his time at Bedford College, which also focuses on practical learning in the motor vehicle workshops.  He said: “The facilities are great and the tutors are good at understanding that apprentices work full-time so they don’t have the holidays that other students have.  They bear this in mind when they’re asking for assignments to be handed in.”

Overall, Harlan has enjoyed his Apprenticeship so far.  It has given him a foot in the door in an exciting industry and a chance to mature because of the responsibility he’s been given at work. He added: “If you do well, your employer sees that you’re good and wants to keep you on for a full-time job.”

Vic’s company, ‘Vic’s Plumbing & Heating’ works across domestic new builds, service and maintenance, as well as focusing on renewable energy. Apprentices are a very important part of his team; and they have been for the past 20 years that he has employed them through Bedford College.

“It’s a way to help the company evolve,” said Vic. “We need fresh minds on the team so that we don’t become a stalemate and can continue moving with the times.

“I’ve got four apprentices working for me at present. Some apprentices I hire directly and some the College finds for me. I have a very good relationship with Bedford College; in fact, I also use the College to renew my own qualifications when needed.

Vic has a team of full-time staff alongside the apprentices, so how does this dynamic work on a daily basis?

“It works really well because the apprentices need to experience different elements of plumbing and gas to pass their assessments, so we can place them with different members of staff depending on what they are currently working on.

“At the end of the day, you can never experience in a classroom what you can on site. However well you mimic sets ups, being outside in all weathers and not always with access to a workbench, is the best experience they can have.

“Once they settle into the job and learn what they need to know, apprentices become a real asset to your business.”

To find out more about how Apprenticeships can help your organisation face future challenges, please telephone 01234 291747 or email training@bedford.ac.uk

Apprenticeships help company through testing times
The Technology Centre is part of VINCI Construction UK Ltd, a national construction and facilities company.  It was one of the first companies to offer UKAS (United Kingdom Accreditation Services) cladding testing to the construction industry and is a leader in construction materials technology, large scale mock-ups and building components load testing both in the UKAS accredited laboratory and onsite.  Working across the UK and internationally, VINCI Technology Centre performs a wide range of tests on a vast array of different products, including: cladding and glazing; windows and doors; flooring; coatings; concrete samples; industrial vehicle cabins and large scale prototypes and mock-ups.

Recruitment revolution
Dr David Kerr, Principal Engineer is responsible for the Technology Centre’s Acoustic Testing programme, which ensures building components perform to British, European and International standards.  He explained that the Centre’s old recruitment strategy of taking on many university graduates, was not meeting the company’s needs because the graduates would move on quickly, even though the company had invested in their industry training. 

David said: “We needed a stronger succession plan to ensure we had qualified technicians for the future.  So we decided to take a different approach, which focused on apprentice technicians with very specialised skills.  We wanted to employ a local workforce, so we looked for a local college to support our training and Bedford College provided exactly what we were looking for - a general construction qualification that covered everything, including design work, surveying and understanding materials.”

One of the Technology Centre’s apprentices, George Kiely, has taken to the job really quickly and already has some individual responsibilities – he’s very much part of the VINCI Technology Centre team.  George believes that the Apprenticeship route was the best path for his chosen career: “I didn’t want to go to university and I knew I wanted to get into construction because you can go anywhere with it and there are a wide range of jobs available.  I really enjoy being able to learn in the workplace and the fact that I’m getting paid. I also get to travel around the country to different sites and meet lots of new people.  There’s a great social side to the company too - I play football every week with my colleagues and even against other VINCI teams in the UK and France.”

Wider impact
David went on to explain that having apprentices in place has had an impact on the wider business. It’s freed up the time of some of their principal engineers and consultants who are now able to focus more on the client side of the work because they’ve got staff they can trust to do the hands-on testing, number crunching and reports.

David added:  “It’s been a difficult few years for the construction industry but we don’t regret taking on the new apprentices during this time.  In fact, quite the opposite, it now seems as if the economic situation is picking up and I’ve seen the amount of testing work rapidly increase over the past six months.  With excellent apprentices in place, we are in a better position to be able to deal with the upturn and continuing growing the business.”

To find out more about how Apprenticeships can help your organisation face future challenges, please telephone 01234 291747 or email training@bedford.ac.uk

Industry:  Construction
Apprentices:  Akbar Khan, Planner Apprentice

While studying for his A-Levels, Akbar took some time off to take part in a “Get Into” programme with The Prince’s Trust and Bedford College. The group worked on a timber frame restoration project on a historical barn at Kings Hill Farm, part of the Shuttleworth College site. “We learnt carpentry and joinery skills and it inspired me to enrol on the full-time Level 3 Construction course at the College,” explains Akbar.

During the first year of the full-time course, Akbar realised he needed to get back out on site in order to apply his new found knowledge and learn the trade on a daily basis. He says, “Woking at Wates Construction as an Apprentice Planner has given me the opportunity to understand the whole construction process and develop my skills.”

“I am getting the chance to understand the whole business from working with the production team, engineers, commercial etc. which is all helping with developing my skills and making me a better Planner. Everyone at Wates Construction is welcoming and prepared to answer any question you have which is very supportive.”

Akbar comes into College for lessons once a week. “The education and training given at the College is very good, as are the facilities,” he says. “There is an excellent library which is also good for group work”.

Doing the Apprenticeship has no doubt helped with Akbar’s career plans. “I now know I want to continue working in the construction industry. I’ve enjoyed my time at College too and may come back at the end of the Apprenticeship to complete a higher education qualification – either a HNC or a Foundation Degree in construction,” he concludes.