Today, as part of #NAW2024, we spoke to Jo Rawlinson, Supply Chain Manager, to find out her thoughts on apprenticeships, the benefits of having Charley Williams on the team and what advice she would give to a new apprentice preparing for their role.
Jo started by telling us why apprenticeships are important: "Taking on an apprentice has benefits for both the apprentice and the company.
The apprentice:
▪ Gets a qualification while working with existing employees who can share knowledge and skills.
▪ Gains practical experience that will make them more employable in the future.
The company:
▪ Gain an employee with a fresh perspective who may question the methods used.
▪ Drives continuous improvement by thinking about the way we work.
Apprentices also often bring a better understanding of IT because it's used so much more in schools now, so even if they don't have the skills for the job, their IT knowledge can make it much easier to train them than someone who had the skills to begin with".
Charley Williams, who we met yesterday, joined Jo's team just over a year and a half ago and Jo tells us how integral he has been to the team and the business.
Jo said: "Charley joined us in the summer of 2022 on a logistics apprenticeship and it was clear from day one that he would be an asset to our team. He was eager to learn and soaked up information like a sponge, making it really easy for him to pick up the skills and knowledge he needed to carry out the planning tasks within the department.
His IT skills exceed those of the rest of the team (we are all of a certain age) and he has therefore been a great help in updating and implementing new IT equipment. After a year and a half, Charley completed his apprenticeship (much sooner than expected) and has become a valued member of the team with full-time employment".
Finally, Jo gave her advice to anyone considering an apprenticeship.
🎥 Watch the video to find out why Jo would encourage anyone considering an apprenticeship to go for it.
#NAW2024 #NationalApprenticeshipWeek #apprenticeships #SkillsForLife
