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VOX POP
We hired three
apprentices
in 2015 who
are currently
undertaking
their two
year training
programme
and will
become fully
fledged service
engineers next
year
As apprenticeships gain momentum
across many business sectors, last
issue,
PrintIT Reseller
asked the
channel for their thoughts and this
month, it’s the OEMs’ turn to talk
about take-up within the print and IT
industry.
PITR:
Do you currently employ
apprentices or do you intend to in
the near future?
Louise Marshall,
Infrastructure & Shared
Services Director,
Brother UK
:
“Brother
UK has been building an apprentice
programme now for about three years,
covering all types of apprenticeship from
traditional (via colleges) to modern (via
academies).
“We have a business objective to
have a minimum of 5 per cent of the
workforce coming via apprenticeships,
and are already close to achieving this
for the current financial year. We strongly
believe that recruiting via apprenticeships
is beneficial for our business, as it allows
us to bring in new talent in a very
structured way that accommodates for the
development that is needed, through the
academic elements of their apprenticeship.
It also helps to give us the diversity we
believe is beneficial to our operation,
through the introduction of younger people
with fresh ideas (and lots of confidence
and energy), and the ability to adapt to the
ever changing workplace.”
Sandra Rogers,
Human Resources
Manager,
KYOCERA Document
Solutions
:
“We have offered
apprenticeships in the past and we
are currently looking to reintroduce an
apprenticeship scheme.
“KYOCERA was founded on the
philosophical basis that commercial
success and the material and spiritual
fulfilment of its employees are inextricably
linked to acting as a responsible corporate
citizen within society. As well as helping
the environment, this includes striving for
social improvement within the communities
in which we operate, including Reading,
London and Manchester in the UK.
“Apprenticeships really fit in with this
ethos, as they provide a wider benefit
to the apprentice’s family and wider
community that goes further than the
direct benefit they bring to our company.
This is why we have plans to reintroduce
an apprenticeship programme in the very
near future.”
Sarah Coates,
UK HR Manager,
Sharp
Business Systems UK
:
“Yes – Sharp
has an apprentice programme in place.
We currently have five apprentices in
our service division; four are focused on
hardware and one on software. We have a
new intake of two apprentices due to start
in October 2016. We hire the successful
apprentices (i.e. those that pass their NVQ
and practical tests) after one years’ service,
and they then become employed trainee
engineers for two years. We hired three
apprentices in 2015 who are currently
undertaking their two year training
programme and will become fully fledged
service engineers next year. One is female
which is great to see in this field.
“We also run a three year IT apprentice
programme at our Head Office in
Wakefield, during which apprentices are
supported to complete their NVQ Level 4
qualifications, and we have just started
Hiring an apprentice.
Is it good for business?
More than 872,000 people were employed on government-funded
apprenticeships, with nearly 30,000 people working towards attaining highly
valued skills via higher and degree apprenticeships in the 2014/15 academic year
a commercial scheme where apprentices
learn the administration behind the sales
ordering process, as well as data analysis
and preparing pricing for customers.
We are always looking to expand our
apprenticeship offering into other areas
of the business, and we are currently
exploring opportunities within the
European marketing team.”
Andrew Marchant,
Talent Development
& Programmes Manager,
Xerox Europe
and Great Britain
:
“Xerox UK’s current
apprenticeship programme started in 2012
and since that time ten young people have
completed their L3 and L4 apprenticeships
with us in business administration and IT.
“We currently employ 16 apprentices
in the UK actively working and learning in
our customer service, large enterprise and
finance organisations. The apprenticeship
programme is a key part of our talent
development strategy to grow the next
generation of managers and leaders for
our business.”
PITR:
The National Apprenticeship
Service (NAS) cites a number of
business benefits associated with
hiring apprentices, including the
fact that 92% of employers taking
on apprentices noticed a more
motivated workforce and 80% saw
an increase in productivity in the
workplace. What has been your
experience?
Louise Marshall:
“I would agree that
working with apprentices has a number of
business benefits, and am not surprised to
see the figures quoted. There is an impact
on our talent pipeline, allowing people to
come into the business and build up the
necessary skills and experience to then
take on a permanent role, without the
need for external recruitment.
“By coming in as an apprentice they
are closely mentored and provided with a
level of support that means they get a very
in depth understanding of the business
and in a variety of areas, so they are well
prepared for a number of roles (not just in
relation to the area where they served their
apprenticeship).
“In addition to this we have seen
benefits for the employees that work with
