Call for more apprenticeships by Gwent business leader

07 February 2012

A former apprentice who became managing director of a successful Welsh manufacturing firm is urging other employers in Wales to hire and train young apprentices in order to give their business vital skills for survival and growth in the future.

The call from David Davies, managing director of the 200-worker Newbridge-based Axiom Manufacturing Services, comes during National Apprenticeship Week in Wales (6 – 10 February) - a week of activities designed to raise the profile of apprenticeships and persuade more firms to commit themselves to this kind of training.

Figures from the Welsh Government show that in the most recent reporting year, 16,305 people in Wales were employed as apprentices and a further 20,075 as Foundation Apprentices.

However there are concerns that not enough apprenticeship opportunities are being offered by companies to match the large number of young people seeking to start their careers and embark upon the bridge to the world of work.

Apprenticeships now cover around 200 different training routes which qualify young people for a total of nearly 1,200 distinct job types. Employers who take on an apprentice pay their salary, while the Welsh Government provides funding for their training.

David Davies began his working life as an electronics design engineering apprentice with the former AB Electronics in the much maligned ‘Valleys’ during the 1980s. He subsequently joined Axiom, then called Aiwa, where he eventually became managing director. He said he believes apprenticeships are vital to business survival, despite the recession, and recently set-up an apprentice programme for Axiom in conjunction with further education provider Coleg Morgannwg.

His view was supported by UK Populus research among employers who had trained apprentices. It found that that 77% believed it made their firms more competitive, and 76% said it led to higher overall productivity. Eighty-eight per-cent of them said apprenticeships resulted in better motivation among their workforces, while 57% reported that a high proportion of apprentices moved on into management positions in their businesses.

Mr Davies added: “There is real danger of a skills gap within the engineering profession at the moment and I strongly believe apprenticeships can be a major part of the solution. An apprenticeship makes great business sense; it provides the opportunity to train a young person your company’s way before they pick up bad habits from elsewhere and, in my experience is far more cost effective than employing a higher paid graduate who will still require further training Our apprentices will continue their academic education under the guidance and mentorship of Axiom staff who have in excess of 25 years of manufacturing experience.

“We currently have two apprenticeships on our four-year programme which we launched last November and we’re already seeing the value they bring to the company. Having the opportunity to work across all aspects of the business means that we can see where their strengths lie and they will benefit from an in-depth knowledge of the company and the wider workplace by the time they are fully qualified.”

Shawn Phillips from Aberdare is one of the apprentices at Axiom. He left school at 16 and worked in a supermarket before enrolling at Coleg Morgannwg to study a BTEC National Diploma in Electrical and Electronic Engineering Level 3. Having beaten off competition from 60 other students to win a job at Axiom he is relishing the challenges involved.

He said: “I originally planned to go to university after my college course and was offered a place to study engineering at both Swansea and Glamorgan universities but the level of graduate unemployment worried me. I didn’t want to spend another four years in education only to find I didn’t have a job at the end of it.

“This apprenticeship means I can learn on the job and also gives me the practical experience I wouldn’t have had at university so I will hopefully be ahead of the game when my peers graduate. There is always the possibility of studying for a degree while I’m working later on.”

The apprentices at Axiom attend Coleg Morgannwg for one day each week to enable them to complete their formal qualifications. The strong partnership between the college and the business means tutors keep in regular contact with the progress of the apprentices and can tailor their learning to suite the business.

Mr Davies added: “Everyone knows that most businesses are vital to their local communities – they provide jobs, generate money for the local economy and often give back in terms of training and donations. Businesses in Gwent should be encouraged to place a greater focus on giving young people opportunities through apprenticeships as they are key to providing the knowledge and skill sets required for long-term success and sustainability.”

Welsh Government Labour Market Information also showed that those who complete apprenticeship training at Level 3 are likely to earn up to £117,000 more over their working lives than those who don’t undertake such training.

Deputy Minister for Skills, Jeff Cuthbert, said: “Research shows that apprenticeships are good for business. Employers who use this form of training say it leads to better motivated workforces and an improved bottom line. Apprenticeships are specially designed by the various different sectors so they are suited to the particular needs of businesses in those sectors.

“Apprenticeships represent an opportunity for employers, with Welsh Government and European Social Fund support, to turn unskilled young people into high performers who will be the backbone of their companies and the Welsh economy in the years ahead.

“We will continue to support employers who are looking to take on apprentices as this is one the most important ways we are delivering on providing the skilled workforce the Welsh economy needs to grow. Apprenticeship week is a great time for employers to start thinking about taking on apprentices.”

The Apprenticeship Matching Service gives employers a convenient online method for finding exactly the right person to fill an apprenticeship post. This is a free online service through which employers can post their requirements, and Careers Wales can help them find the right person from a database of young people’s CVs, characteristics and career aspirations.

Apprenticeship programmes in Wales are part-funded by the European Social Fund through the Welsh Government.