Apprenticeship Inspiration

“I want to stay in this industry, I could build a career”

Saffron Knott, a Business Administration Apprentice at EU Fire Safety, has recently attended the EIC Powerball after being named as one of the winners of their Rising Star Award.  Here she talks about how she joined the industry and her future.

“I was studying Sociology at University, just starting my second year when my eating disorder took over my life.  I was admitted into the Priory for intensive lifesaving treatment and four months later, discharged with a long road of ahead of me.  I didn’t think University was the right place for me to go back to, so looked for an apprenticeship.”

“Unfortunately, many employers were not willing to take a chance with my medical history, but Mark Booth at EU Fire Security was and I joined the team in March 2022.”

“Within the first months it was clear to see she was something special”  said Mark Booth, General Manager at EU Fire Security.

“She gets into work early, is excited about how she makes a difference and has quickly become a ‘go-to’ for work support and advice across the administrative, buying and marketing teams, developing processes across each of these departments during her short tenure within them.”

Mark used the EDA Apprenticeship Service run in partnership with EDA Apprenticeships Plus.

“The apprenticeship is a great way for me to learn.  I am so well supported by colleagues at EU Fire Security as well as by EDA Apprenticeships Plus and my training provider, The Learning Skills Partnership.  As a university student I was always financially poor and learned only theory, no real hands-on skills. I love moving from department to department learning as I go.  So far purchasing is my favourite.”

And what’s next for Saffron after she completes her apprenticeship?

“I would like to stay at EU Fire and Safety or at least within the sector.  I didn’t realise that this sector existed; I can now have a career and not just a job.”

Jordon Tuck, a Supply Chain Warehouse Apprentice at Termination Technology, has recently attended the EIC Powerball after being named as one of the winners of their Rising Star Award.  Here he talks about how he joined the industry and his future.

“I planned on joining the Police Force but got caught up in the Covid situation.  With nothing to do, I joined Termination Technology as part of the Government’s Kick Start Programme.  I went to work in the warehouse and really enjoyed my time there.” said Jordon.

“Jordon was a really nice lad and fitted in with the Termination Technology team from the moment he started.  He stayed the full 6 months of the Kick Start programme and then accepted an apprenticeship position.  He is almost at the end of his apprenticeship and I believe that the sky is the limit for Jordon” said Steve Parry, Commercial Director at Termination Technology.

Steve used the EDA Apprenticeship Service run in partnership with EDA Apprenticeships Plus.

“I saw the nomination form for the Rising Star Award the week before the event.  The email saying that Jordan had won arrived the day before.  From that point it was all systems go to get him a dinner suit, train tickets and accommodation!” said Steve

And did Jordon enjoy the event?

“I had the best time with my fellow winners.  I can’t wait to repeat the experience.”

At just 25, Jack Lynch is the newly appointed Branch Manager in Greenock for wholesalers Holland House Electrical Co Ltd. This new job has been his goal from day one when he joined the business as an apprentice straight from college. Jack is recruiting an apprentice for his branch and he knows what to look for.

Jack shares his story.

“College was OK but I wanted a real job, independence and to earn a wage ” explains Jack. “I didn’t know anything about electrical wholesaling but Holland House offered me a job as a warehouse apprentice in Glasgow. From day one I was ambitious, and they gave me opportunities because they saw that I was keen and let me work in every department. Once you’re serving contractors and electricians over the trade counter, you really start to build up your product knowledge.

“When given the chance I was happy to jump on the phone and take on a sales role. You’ve got to be fearless and open to new things. I’ve worked in our Middlesbrough and Aberdeen branches along the way. With each move I was learning something new. In Aberdeen I was doing both telesales and going out and about to meet clients – being a sales rep. The Regional Manager and I worked closely together developing accounts and acquiring new ones, including a major house builder.

“In November 2020 they called me in to ask if I wanted to lead the Greenock branch, which is fantastic. There are four roles here: driver, storeperson, administrative support and me, as Branch Manager. Our driver has just left so that opens up an opportunity for an apprentice and I’ll be interviewing shortly. I’m looking for someone who can see the career potential in wholesaling, and who’s got that extra spark.

And what is Jack’s advice for any new recruit?

“Be patient, thick-skinned, always be on the look for something to do, and show that you’re hungry for advancement and a career. It worked for me!”

“Since starting the Trade Supplier apprenticeship, I have learnt so much more in 5 months than I anticipated,” explains Olly Thorburn, “My knowledge of the products we stock at Electric Center has boomed. It is a real confidence booster.”

Olly Thorburn is full of praise for the Trade Supplier experience. “I feel like this apprenticeship is the best thing I could have signed up for. I have learnt so much in a short time and feel really motivated, and I’ve even earned the title of Apprentice of the Month for October 2021 with my training provider which felt incredible.

“My days are varied: from picking and packing orders for customers, through to driving the van and making deliveries. I enjoy working with our contractor customers, ensuring they get the right products, and giving them the best experience possible.

“Apprenticeships could suit many people as it is a credible alternative to university. This experience has taught me a lot about myself, both learning on the job and with my tutor. My apprenticeship course work is relevant and thought-provoking and has 100% helped me with my role in the branch. I can see my progress and how relevant the Trade Supplier qualification is to my current job and future roles – I do want to move up the career ladder and this is a great start. I’ll have a Trade Supplier qualification to show that I know what I am doing.

“There’s no doubt that I’ve grown in confidence. I am looking forward to the next 7 months and becoming a fully qualified Trade Supplier, and hopefully working towards other qualifications in the future.”

The final word goes to Olly’s Manager, Colin Livesley, “Olly very quickly became an important member of the team. He is a great asset to the business: hard working, committed and enthusiastic.

Reece Hayes, 22, is Branch Manager for one of CEF’s centres in Kent. At 17 Reece was training as an electrician but could see a different career path ahead. He took a job as a delivery driver and started an apprenticeship studying wholesaling and merchant skills through the Electrical Distributors’ Association (EDA) Apprenticeship Service. He moved into sales roles at the trade counter, then to account management and, from 1 February 2021, into the top job in the branch.

“This job is about customer relationships,“ explains Reece, “When I was driving the van I was meeting customers every day and building the relationships that would serve me well when I was promoted to the trade counter and visiting them on site.

“I had a great manager who taught me well and when he moved up to another role I got the opportunity to lead the branch. In wholesaling there are many job roles available and opportunities that open up, and my electrician training served me well. You need a good product knowledge to help contractors get the right products for the job – first time, every time.”

Bobbi-Jo Tait, an apprentice at CEF’s Gateshead branch, has recently achieved Apprentice of the Month with The Learning Skills Partnership, one of the providers involved in the EDA Apprenticeships Service. Here Bobbi-Jo and her tutor talk about the apprenticeship and what’s next

“There is always something to do in this job,” explains Bobbi-Jo, who is studying a one year Trade Supplier Apprenticeship at Level 2, “I was planning to work in child care but when I started applying for jobs after college I wanted to try something new. I applied for this role via the National Apprenticeship Service and I came in to meet with Mike, the Branch Manager, and here I am. I really enjoy it because it’s busy, you’ve always got stuff to do, deliveries to check, stock to put away, and electricians and contractors to serve.

“Goods-in means I’m responsible for taking in deliveries, checking them, sorting them out and putting the products in exactly the right place in our stores. Everything has a home so that everyone can find it easily. This has helped me learn all about electrotechnical products and the team here has helped me understand how the different products are connected – what products go with what – and if I need help I just ask.

“I also put electrical product kits together for contractor customers that are working on a house-building project nearby. They send us specifications for the various house plots – 1 or 2 bedroom houses or bungalows, for example – and I put all the products they need together. It’s very important for their business that I get it right.”

Tutor, Karen Pranks, explains why Bobbi-Jo was given the title Apprentice of the Month

“She absolutely blew me away with her new-found confidence and passion for her role, and has taken on additional responsibility. Bobbi-Jo is always looking for ways to increase her knowledge in work. It was fantastic to hear the passion in her voice – it’s infectious!”

And what’s next for Bobbi-Jo after she completes her apprenticeship in October 2021?

“I’m hoping to become a Branch Assistant, that’s what I see myself doing. I might look at being a sales rep or manager but that’s way in the future. I’d encourage other women to join electrical wholesaling – go ahead, you don’t really know whether you like something unless you’ve tried it. Some women may feel that this is a man’s job but it’s empowering when you show that you can do it too!”

Mark Ashworth, MD at Stockport’s ABM Electrical Wholesale Ltd, members of the IBA buying group, has a few words of advice on apprenticeships:

“In wholesaling there’s never enough time and 101 excuses not to do something. But I can honestly say that taking on an apprentice through the EDA has been a much easier process than I had anticipated.

“My advice to other business owners is give it a go, tap into the expertise that comes with your EDA membership and reap benefits for your business.”

New recruit Joel Pastore, 18, (pictured above serving on the trade counter) became ABM’s first apprentice when he joined them in early 2018 through the EDA’s Apprenticeship Programme.

Here Mark picks up the story behind the new hire.

Talent for growth

“ABM is a family business and we have a long-term strategy for growth and that means we have to plan how to develop a talented team and apprenticeships are very much a part of that strategy.

“We’d like to grow our branch network, and for that we need a team we can rely on. I like the idea of being able to develop the ABM team our way and apprentices help us do that because it’s a combination of a qualification and on-the-job training alongside our established ABM team.

“The EDA service was easy: Louise at EDA Apprenticeships Plus was very helpful. They ran the recruitment campaign for us and we interviewed some good candidates, but Joel stood out. He was both well prepared and well presented. He didn’t need to be an expert in our business, he needed to show willing and that’s why he got the job.”

Career move

And the experience is just as good for the lucky candidate.

“I don’t have a favourite part of my job,” says Joel, “because I enjoy all of it.”

Joel is training for his 12 month apprenticeship for Warehousing and Storage Apprenticeship Level 2, one of the hundreds of apprenticeship options available in England.

Above: MD, Mark Ashworth, helps Joel to develop his skills and knowledge.

Mentors

Joel spotted the ABM opportunity on the National Apprenticeship Service website, where all apprenticeship vacancies in the England are published, while working for a shipping container business.

“I was looking for a career move and this opportunity just caught my eye. It was local to me and something different,” he explains.

“I start at 8am checking our stock levels in the warehouse, receiving deliveries and making up orders. I didn’t have much knowledge about electro-technical products when I first started but I’m learning fast. There is always someone to ask – I have mentors who I can approach. When I’ve finished my apprenticeship, I want to progress, to keep learning and moving up, perhaps into sales.”

Above: Joel checks a customer’s order.