March 9th is start of National Apprentice Week 2015 – a week dedicated to celebrating apprenticeships and the value they have for businesses, individuals and the economy. Between 2013 and 2014, the government invested £1.5bn into apprenticeships; increasing the businesses involved in designing the new apprenticeship standards, and the career paths available to potential apprentices.
The days when apprentices were considered the “tea makers” of a business are long gone, and the opportunities have widened dramatically – in fact, there are 1,500 different apprenticeships now available in over 170 industries!
GML Consulting Ltd., a creative web design, development and marketing company in Norwich, have recruited a number of apprentices over the years; positively impacting on the business and employees. These apprenticeships include roles in areas such as web development, IT, project management and marketing – showing just a few of the vast variety of apprenticeships on offer in the UK right now.
Gemma Howell, junior project and marketing coordinator at GML Consulting, completed her apprenticeship at the company 8 months ago and has been kept on as a permanent member of staff. She has this to say about the value of apprenticeships and working for GML;
“I had planned to go to university when I finished college; this had always been my plan since leaving high school. However, a month before I was due to go, I changed my mind. I had seen so many people struggle to get their dream jobs, after completing their degrees – and I realised that the main reason I was planning to go to university was because that’s what had been drummed into me at school. The business admin apprenticeship at GML gave me a year of in-depth learning and invaluable experience. When I completed the apprenticeship and was kept on as a permanent employee, it really made me appreciate how valuable apprenticeships really are. My knowledge has grown dramatically in all areas of web, marketing and management, and I have developed great working relationships with both my colleagues and clients. I can safely say that I love my job – something I thought I’d never say without having gone to university!”
GML Consulting have now enrolled Gemma on an Enterprise apprenticeship course to further her business and enterprise skills and benefit the business further, with Swarm Apprenticeships. Swarm are training providers who focus on developing young people, encouraging entrepreneurism and enabling apprentices to deliver the greatest return on investment for the businesses they work for.
Elliott Garner, currently enrolled on a Swarm marketing apprenticeship course at GML, said;
“The monthly Swarm training workshops definitely help, as they have taught me how to manage and make better use of my time. The assignments have also made me learn a lot through the research I have done for them.
Before I started my apprenticeship, I thought there may be a chance that I wouldn’t be treated equally, as I was fairly young and unexperienced. However, my colleagues have been extremely helpful, very friendly, patient and understanding. I now think that many young people leaving high school/college should do an apprenticeship as it’s unbelievably valuable and teaches the necessary skills needed in later life.”
Nikki Long, General Manager at GML said;
“GML currently have 4 apprentices and are recruiting for a 5th for a web development position. Over the years we have found that our apprentices have greatly enhanced the business with their ideas and enthusiasm for learning. When we employ an apprentice we always have a position available at the end of the course, meaning that if they successfully complete their courses, and fit in with our company ethos, we will offer a permanent positon.
We recently started working with Swarm Apprenticeships as they offer something a little bit different. Alongside the apprenticeship course, whether in IT, Marketing, Web Development, or their unique Enterprise Apprenticeship, Swarm offer business entrepreneurial training to ensure they have a grounding of how a business works, and how they can contribute to the business’ success.
GML look for people to come into the company and grow with it. This means there is ample opportunity for making ‘the job’ into what suits their goals and ambitions in life. Here at GML we give people a voice and the time to excel in their particular area of expertise”
Chris Perry, Managing Director at Swarm Apprenticeships;
“GML are a fantastic example of an enterprising business that recognises that investing in young people is also about providing real opportunities for them to be empowered to make an impact in the business.
Apprentices can make a big difference towards the growth of a business when given the right support and training. Swarm’s goal with any apprentice is to grow their commercial awareness and coach them so they can develop an entrepreneurial mind-set that helps look for the opportunity to stand out and deliver a return on investment for the business”
Norfolk Adult Education is holding an Apprenticeship Day on Thursday 12th March 2pm-5pm, which Gemma and Elliott from GML Consulting will be volunteering at, for school and college leavers, unemployed individuals, and business owners that may be interested in hiring an apprentice. The event will take place at Wensum Lodge, Norwich NR1 1QW. More info here – https://www.norfolk.gov.uk/view/NCC162481.
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