For National Apprenticeship Week, we bring you an update on Finn’s progress.
At the end of 2024, Finn joined the Salemade team. He is our first Modern Apprentice and Salesmade was his first job. As such, it’s a learning curve for us all, yet Finn is settling in well, playing an active role in the factory and developing skills for life.
Like many of our team, Finn is a practical, hands-on learner. So, when considering his next steps after school, he was drawn to the idea of an apprenticeship. When we interviewed him, we saw his potential and decided to offer him a position on our team.
“I was excited to start an apprenticeship with Salesmade because it opened up an opportunity to learn and gather experience while studying, that I would not normally get.”
Introduction to the Factory
In the first few weeks, Finn’s college placement hadn’t started, so we kicked things off with factory health & safety. He covered all the practicalities of what to wear and what to be aware of to keep himself and others safe. As Finn is working towards qualifications in General Machining and CNC Machining, we introduced him to our machines and processes.
“Working in the factory helps me get a better understanding of how to use certain machines and tools before beginning to use them for practical work in college. It also gives me hands-on knowledge about certain problems I will learn about and study in the future.”
We’ve been impressed by Finn’s willingness to get involved. We run a busy factory and it’s all hands to the deck to keep pace with orders. He is good at following instructions and is keen to learn. In our industry, the right attitude is essential for success and many of our team have worked their way up from a junior role.
“All of the projects I’ve worked on have been interesting in different ways. However, I enjoy the ones that get you thinking, like the whole process of making glass doors. You’ve got to cut the frames and then work out how to put them all together.”
Upskilling the Next Generation With Apprenticeships
Fortunately, we have quite a few long-standing team members at Salesmade. However, to ensure the future of the business, we need to equip the next generation with the necessary skills and experience.
There is a skills shortage in manufacturing and employers in this industry can address that through apprenticeship programmes. That has long been the route into the industry and we’re keen to play our part. As such, we’re on a mission to help Finn develop his workplace skills.
“The skill I’m looking to develop is problem solving, in order to be quickly able to solve a problem when it shows itself.”
Would You Recommend Apprenticeships?
To be honest, a lot of work went into the initial stages of setting up the apprenticeship programme. If we were going to do it, we wanted to do it right, but there a quite a few stages before you start. Then there is the recruitment process and finding someone who fits.
Like Finn, it was the first time that many had experienced an interview, so we needed to draw out the information from nervous candidates. It’s early days and we’re still getting to grips with the process. However, now the programme is set up, we hope that Finn will become the first of many apprentices.
“My advice for anyone considering an apprenticeship is that it’s one of the best ways to gather experience and knowledge whilst working and being paid. It will hopefully open lots of doors in your future.”
If you think that an apprenticeship could be your next step, visit the apprenticeship website. It outlines what’s involved and includes a search facility to find available positions. In addition, be proactive in talking to employers at local career events, as a bit of initiative goes a long way!