Think career, think apprenticeship: A successful path to guide you to the future

By Mark Toole Jnr, NS Training Manager at Telent Technology Services Ltd

Every summer, pupils from across the UK find out their A Level and GCSE grades, resulting in young people everywhere having the same trending thought cross their minds: how am I going to start my career?

Here at Telent we see apprenticeships as a viable alternative to university and sixth form with research from the Sutton Trust also finding that apprentices earn on average more than £100,000 more throughout their lifetime than other employees.

Apprenticeships really do offer a great career opportunity; they are an excellent way of gaining those industry-recognised qualifications and real-life work experience, giving you the opportunity to ‘earn as you learn’, whilst gaining real practical skills. At Telent, we realise the importance of getting started on the right foot and are proud to offer several apprenticeship schemes across our businesses. Young people give our business fresh perspectives and ideas, often coming up with new, problem-solving solutions that even industry experts may not have thought of. They’re keen to learn and are a very viable solution to closing the skills gap. After all, how can we expect to be leaders in future technology if we aren’t employing the future generation?


Exchange

This August, three of our apprentices flew over to Backnang, Germany for two weeks at Telent GmbH, the German Internet of Things specialist, and subsidiary of the euromicron AG group. The exchange sees us send our apprentices out into the field to not only meet different project teams across the business, but to also experience first-hand what it is like working in this sector in another country with a different culture. In return, we had the pleasure of hosting three of the German apprentices for two weeks to enjoy the same experiences.

The apprentices spend their fortnight carrying out the same roles they would if they were working in the UK, but with the bonus of meeting German engineers and customers. This is a great chance for them to compare and experience different working practices and projects, which will only enhance their skills and competencies, building on their knowledge and furthering their career development.

However, it’s not all work and no play. The apprentices are also given the chance to experience social and cultural activities in the country. This year, the group visited the Technik Museum in Speyer, to discover the amazing engineering history of the country and even had the chance to watch a fast-paced football game in Frankfurt.

"At Telent, we realise the importance of getting started on the right foot and are proud to offer several apprenticeship schemes across our businesses. Young people give our business fresh perspectives and ideas, often coming up with new, problem-solving solutions that even industry experts may not have thought of."

- Mark Toole Jnr, NS Training Manager

Benefits

Apprenticeship training helps our current employees improve and refresh their current skill set, which continues to benefit the company in the long-term. Also, staff loyalty and retention can be a huge benefit when employing apprentices; according to the National Apprenticeship Service, 80 percent of companies have seen a significant increase in employee retention since taking on apprentices[1]. We recognise people who have been trained in-house are highly motivated, committed to the company, supportive of its business objectives then stay on with us to become forward-thinkers and key team members within Telent.

If that’s not enough to persuade you, consider that our own CEO, Mark Plato, began his career as an apprentice. Your career path does not need to take you down the conventional further education system, there are an abundance of opportunities to work your way up within a company.

The range of backgrounds that our apprentices come from is also important as they can bring a fresh approach and a positive attitude into the workplace. Their energy and willingness to learn can bring new ideas and different approaches to tasks and well as being very contagious!


Talent at Telent

Ultimately at Telent, we have been creating opportunities for young people around the UK for many years now so have had the chance to witness first-hand what apprentices are capable of and can bring to a company. We believe by working collaboratively in this sector with talented people, we are giving our customers the service they trust and expect


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