Apprentice challenge is off to a flying start
12/01/2011
Leon Hextall has changed his life thanks to an apprenticeship and you can too.
The 19-year-old has swapped serving food and clearing plates in the staff canteen for a full time, four-year apprenticeship with construction industry company Caterpillar in Desford, Leicestershire within its sister company Caterpillar Logistics.
The Leicester Mercury, supported by Leicester College has this week launched the 100 Day Apprenticeship Challenge.
We want to get 100 young people in our area between the ages of 16 and 65 into 100 new apprenticeships in the next 100 days – but we need your help to do it.
As well as young people like Leon, willing to become apprentices, we need companies large and small to take up our challenge and give young people a chance and a future.
Companies signing up to it will receive support to meet training needs whilst providing employment.
As a student on Leicester College’s Modern Day Multi-Skilled Apprenticeship course, Leon spends one day a week studying and the rest of the week with Caterpillar learning practical skills and applying them to real life situations.
When he discovered the apprenticeship was on offer Leon jumped at the chance. Caterpillar has now taken on four apprentices in its Building Construction Products plant in Desford and two at its Logistics division, having selected them from over 70 applications.
Leon, who is just two weeks into his apprenticeship, said: “We’re learning all parts of the business from electronics to mechanics so we’ll be multi-skilled and able to help at all levels when we’re fully trained. I feel really lucky to be here. I was up against a lot of competition. I know Caterpillar offers high quality training and they expect a lot from me in return but at the end of it I’ll have a great company on my CV and hopefully a full-time job with lots of benefits. My prospects have definitely improved and it’s much more rewarding than working in the canteen.”
Caterpillar Logistics Site Services Manager Paul Morris said: “From our point of view there’s a skills gap we need to fill. Being able to take on apprentices means we can train them to meet the companies needs. Our apprentices aren’t just learning one part of the business, they’re being given the chance to learn all parts of it and that’s where they will benefit in the long run. At Caterpillar we offer a fantastic structured setting for the apprentices. They’re learning all the time and have the commitment of everyone around them to make sure they succeed and be the best they can be.”
The campaign is being supported by leading local politicians and business leaders.
Tracey Kinsley, Assistant Principal: Employer Engagement for Leicester College said: “The growing popularity and importance of Apprenticeships to businesses and the local economy means that it a very important time for Leicester College to be supporting the Apprenticeship Challenge. This is also a great opportunity for every employer to be thinking seriously about how Apprenticeships can provide new skills and knowledge for their business and the staff they employ, now and into the future.
“There is a wide range of Apprenticeships available in every industry sector, and the flexibility of being able to get qualifications alongside on-the-job training means this is becoming an increasingly desirable route for many people. Colleges like Leicester College work with each employer to understand their business needs and tailor the Apprenticeship around them. This ensures that the business as well as their staff member, benefits.”