I am writing this article just as National Apprentice week draws to a close for 2016 and I have just finished a week long road show around Bolton promoting Apprenticeships and everything that is great about them.
Now “when I was a lad” Apprenticeships were pretty limited, in fact I did a few weeks at one myself back in the day as an Apprentice Joiner, it was a dodgy set up, paid for by a pot of government money that a company had somehow got their hands on to deliver quality training and apprenticeships although instead stuck a load of lads in a class room which was more like a CDT room with a supply teacher and not a hope in hell of any of us getting a decent placement, a far cry from the amazing opportunity that had been promised to us at the initial interview.
Fortunately for everyone apprenticeships have changed drastically since then and for a lot of young people and employers are an amazing opportunity to gain a qualification and experience, I have championed modern day apprenticeships for a long time now working with several different learning providers across the board including the Greater Manchester Learning provider network and Bolton College.
I think that in these tough times young people face with 1 in 5 people unemployed, apprenticeships are an amazing opportunity for the right person to get the qualifications, along with the practical experience whilst earning a few quid at the same time!
Apprenticeships are now available in pretty much every industry going and are win win for everyone involved and you can’t deny the figures, in 2015 871,000 people were in full time Apprenticeships up 10% on the previous year with 2016 looking like the biggest and best year for apprenticeships so far.
I think apprenticeships are great although why am I choosing to write about this I hear you cry when us traders are already experts in our chosen trade?
Well it’s not just about creating opportunities for budding apprentices It’s about seeing what Apprenticeships can do for us as traders, well, we all know our stuff so how about passing on some of that knowledge to the next generation?
Each and every one of us needs to have a serious think about taking on an apprentice and that means YOU!
That’s right no matter what game you are in you have a wealth of knowledge that you could be passing on to the next generation of trader and in doing so learning to delegate some responsibilities over to a number 2, who knows you may even be able to take that long overdue holiday in the near future? Or maybe even go from market trader to market leader and enable you to expand the business like you have always dreamed of?
There are SO many training providers out there who will help you in your quest for an apprentice and support you with the academic side of the deal too.
I have had had two Apprentices already and am looking for my third to come on board as my new personal assistant which will result in them achieving a level 3 NVQ in business administration, a wealth of experience and of course earning a decent wage whilst doing so.
I as the employer will be rewarded just as much from hiring an apprentice as they will gain from taking the opportunity, the last two I have had have been much younger than me and just like most of the next generation are technology geniuses compared to me!
Both of my Apprentices have dragged my companies into 2016 when it comes to technology and helped me massively with my social media campaigns and my websites which of course we need to embrace, improve and evolve with the times or else we will become extinct!
So rather than presuming that “apprentices aren’t for me” get in touch with your local training provider and see how you and an apprentice can work together, learn together and earn together!
Be sure to let me know how you get on.
adamcorbally@outlook.com
@theadamcorbally
LinkedIn Adam Corbally