Apprentice finalists given taste of power
FINALISTS in the Ladder for Birmingham Apprenticeship Awards have been walking the corridors of power.
Some of the shortlisted candidates in the inaugural awards were shown around the Houses of Parliament.
The party, including ten apprentices alongside employers and providers, met Robert Halfon, who is chairman of the Education Select Committee.
He is also joint patron of the Ladder for England campaign, which is aiming to create 10,000 new apprenticeships.
The MP learned about the apprentices’ journey through their work, education and training, and how their employers were supporting their programmes.
He spoke with finalists about his time as minister for apprenticeship and skills, and the positive impact he felt apprenticeships could have.
The tour came just days before the July 4 awards ceremony at Edgbaston Stadium to celebrate the region’s brightest apprentices, employers and organisations helping them succeed.
The ceremony is part of the wider Ladder for Greater Birmingham campaign, which launched last summer and is aiming to create 1,000 new apprenticeships in Birmingham and Solihull.
It is run by community development group The Vine Trust and training provider Performance Through People, with funding from the Greater Birmingham and Solihull LEP and Birmingham and Solihull Training Provider Network.
The Birmingham Post’s digital sister BirminghamLive is the media partner.
Rob Colbourne, managing director of Performance Through People and lead provider of the Ladder, said of the Parliament visit : “What an inspirational place for our apprentices to attend and meet in.
“Robert is a true advocate of apprenticeships and how they can change people’s lives, earning while they learn.
“It shows the positive impact the Ladder has – one apprentice said he couldn’t believe he was in the Houses of Parliament because things like this didn’t happen to people like him.”
Two people who know just how important the scheme is are Hamza Hussain and William from Birmingham.
JTL, one of the region’s leaders in the provision of opportunities under the Government’s ‘Traineeship’ programme, placed them with construction group Wates.
A four-week programme covers modules such as health and safety and employability skills including interview techniques, communications and CV writing.
The pair also spent time on taster days alongside various teams around the business to learn more about the type of work Wates does, and the skills it needs.
Hamza focused on plumbing and heating, working with a team on empty residential properties, while William spent time with electrical, plumbing and carpentry teams.
He hopes to pursue a career as a carpenter.
Ronda D’Aguilar, Wates’ customer and community manager, said: “The supervisors in the teams they have been working with were very impressed with their commitment to the experience. They found the trainees to be highly motivated and very eager to learn. It has been the first time we have worked with JTL on the traineeship programme.
“You don’t know how these things will pan out, but it has been such a positive experience for us as a business that we would like to continue this on a regular basis.
“It’s a great way to see how a potential apprentice might get along – almost like an extended interview process – and our experience with Hamza and William has been hugely positive.”
Following their placements, Hamza and William were offered the chance to
Stewart,
both apply for an apprenticeship with Wates to start in September.
Performance manager Dave Singh added: “For us, this is almost a ‘try before you buy’ scenario.
“We may get 20 to 30 people come in to interview for apprentice positions and it’s never easy to gauge how committed somebody will be to the job once they are given a place on an apprenticeship just through an interview process.
“With the traineeships, we are able to see how the candidate fits within the company in real time and establish how they get on with other team members over a period, gauging their enthusiasm for the job role we are looking to place them in.”
Both Hamza and William speak positively about their time on placement with Wates – so much so that Hamza has recommended the process to his brother and cousin.
William added: “I liked being able to move around within my placement until I found something I really enjoyed. Now I can focus on doing what I want to do and be a part of a company that offers me financial security now, and in the future.”
It’s a great way to see how a potential apprentice might get along – almost like an extended interview process – and our experience with Hamza and William has been hugely positive.
Ronda D’Aguilar