How apprentices are helping businesses in the region

Discover the ways in which Apprenticeship programmes have helped organisations throughout Bristol and the South West improve business performance.

Beauty Therapy

The Beauty Spot in Staple Hill in Bristol has recently taken on its first Apprentice with positive results. Tina Lewis, qualified beauty therapist said:

"The benefits to me as the employer are the chance to show and train the Apprentice in the way we want them to work. They are learning on the job, supported by learning in the classroom and constantly acquiring skills by watching the rest of my team....Fay has been our ideal first Apprentice."

Read more about how Apprenticeships worked for the Beauty Spot.

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Carpentry

Apprentices are a key investment for any business but they become even more significant when you are a small company faced with the prospect of choosing the right person to train up for what could be a lifetime career. One such business, Hall Bros, take on Apprentices because they go on to become loyal employees with the right mix of skills.

Chris Hall, Director of Hall Bros, said:

"We see Apprenticeships as a brilliant way to get loyal, committed staff for future."

Read more about how carpentry Apprentices help Hall Bros succeed.

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Construction: Brickwork

For more than 25 years Phil Cox has been in business as a general builder and he has become an advocate of Apprenticeships. He told us:

"The main benefit of having Apprentices is that I can teach them from day one how I want things to be done.

I would recommend Apprenticeships to other firms because apprentices are willing to learn and you can mould them to your way of doing things."

Find out more about how construction Apprentices can help your business.

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Electrical Installation

Northavon Pumps & Controls have to be available 24/7 to sort out problems at water and sewage works, so their apprentices need a lot of dedication.

The company regards Apprentices as future employees and builds them into its planned growth, seeing it as a great way to get qualified engineers. Kate Watson, HR and Training Manager, explained that Apprenticeships encourage young people to learn a trade and become loyal to the company.

She continues, "We see Apprenticeships as a brilliant way to get loyal, committed staff for the future."

Read more about how Apprenticeships help Northavon Pumps & Controls.

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Hairdressing

Cohesion, a hair and beauty salon in Redfield, Bristol, has been taking on Apprentices from City of Bristol College for several years. Karyn Whyte, Co-director, said, "We get a great sense of satisfaction and achievement teaching and training our apprentices. They come with technical skills and competency from the College."

Karyn says of Carl Bembridge, Cohesion's fourth hairdressing apprentice: "He started with us as a Saturday helper and his commitment and willingness to learn was incredible."

Read how hairdressing Apprentices can work for your business.

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Motorcycle

Sara Gubb, Service Manager for Fowlers, outlines the key qualities they seek when sifting through the 50-plus applications for Apprenticeships and then interviewing the selected few:

"We look for a genuine interest in motorcycles, enthusiasm, commitment and an academic ability that will enable them to complete the Apprenticeship framework.

She continues : "There are many benefits in having Apprentices. We are able to mould them into Fowlers' way of working - we have very strict processes and standards of work, and they need to learn those."

Read how Apprenticeships can help your firm.

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Professional Cookery

The Aztec Hotel at Almondsbury is a non-stop buzz of activity so a progression of trainee chefs is needed.

Head Chef, Mike Riordan said, "We're a large hotel with a lot of chefs so we need a progression of trainees coming through - at the moment we have one Apprentice half-way through his training and another just starting.

I would definitely recommend the Apprentice scheme to other head chefs."

Read more about how Apprentices can work for you.

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