http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/Construction-consultants-Post-s-apprenticeship/story-15858574-detail/story.html

Construction consultants back Post’s apprenticeship campaign

CONSTRUCTION consultant Faithful+Gould has become the latest firm to back the Post’s Get Notts Working Campaign to find 100 apprenticeships in 100 days.

The Beeston business has benefited from a long-established policy of taking on school-leavers as apprentices – with some going on to become project managers.

1. ​
   Backing campaign: Faithful+Gould director David Picks.

It has built up strong links with local schools, in particular the George Spencer Academy, in Stapleford, and Trinity School, in Aspley, to develop a feeder system for pupils who wish to take on building and quantity surveyor apprenticeships.

The apprentices work for four days a week at Faithful+Gould, with day release to attend university and study part-time towards a degree.

Director David Picks said: “I contend if you give us a student who has been in full-time education, there is a considerable gap in their abilities and skills to someone who has been an apprentice and has had that balance of hands-on experience and study. In return, they get a job in hand, we pay their five-year course fees and they gain experience and earn money.

“As tuition fees increase, I expect it will become more appropriate for some people to choose an apprenticeship.”

A-level students with the necessary Ucas points to gain a place on their chosen degree course are considered for apprenticeships.

“We look for people with life experiences,” said Mr Pick. “It’s good if building surveyor apprentice candidates have some drawing ability and for quantity surveyor candidates to have some mathematical understanding – but obviously, apprentices come to us to be trained.

“At first, there may be a bit of making the tea but when they’re good enough, we move them around different teams and they’re given a mentor. We try to push them from the bottom up through the firm. A lot of people here joined from school. Past apprentices have progressed to project managers.”

The Post is calling on firms to take on apprentices as part of its Get Notts Working campaign. In the first phase of the campaign we are urging companies to pledge to take on one or more trainees so that we can hit our target of creating 100 apprenticeships in 100 days.

The campaign is being co-ordinated by the Post with Derbyshire and Notts Chamber of Commerce, the National Apprenticeship Service and Notts City and County Employment and Skills Board. Later this year, we will ask firms to take on unemployed people for a spell of work experience.

Paul Champion
Strategic Project Manager

Mobile: 07540 704920