Les Caunce

Apprenticeship case study

Employer says apprentices ‘breathe new life’ and ‘boost the whole company’

One of City of Bristol College’s employer partners has praised apprenticeships as a source of increased productivity and a way to ‘spark and boost the whole company’ and is encouraging prospective students to consider being an apprenticeship.

Jon Pritchard Ltd, a loft conversion company, has eight apprentices on its books at the moment and is now in its fifth year of recruiting apprentices and hopes the ‘outstanding’ working partnership with City of Bristol College can continue.

HR Consultant and Apprenticeship Officer, Les Caunce, said: “We wish to pass on skills and knowledge to all ages who are willing to learn a construction trade. Keen people bring a breath of fresh air with new ideas. This in turn gives a spark and boost to the whole company as a result productivity increase.”

The company said there were so many benefits to recruiting apprentices for young people, including: skills to sustain you for decades, paid wage, gaining respect from your family and friends as well as a great sense of achievement.

Les also said recruiting apprentices can have a huge impact on your business, with benefits including supporting staff retention and filling skills gaps.

Les added: “We can develop the right behaviours so they think and act in the interests of the business. Customers are able to see how we are contributing to the training of apprentices and it can support enhancing customer relationships.”

Students from across the college’s Construction provision work with Jon Pritchard to deliver its services locally and, with the upcoming grand opening of the Advanced Construction Skills Centre in September, the college hopes to continue to build its apprenticeship opportunities for the Construction trade, especially in South Bristol.

Les and the team at Jon Pritchard Ltd praised the facilities, teachers and assessors at the college as ‘outstanding’. He added: “If there is an issue we are informed in a timely fashion and we then find a solution. We work together as a partnership with the college and this joint effort has enabled the company to build a successful apprenticeship scheme and long may it continue!”

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