As a growing business, we want to make sure we have a robust team to deliver our clients needs and orders to their exact specifications. We know that there is a huge skills gap in engineering and so took the proactive step in an apprenticeship scheme to support our experienced team.
Joe Glazzard, 17, came to work with us in October 2021 after leaving school that summer. He had a strong work ethic and maturity which impressed us straight away. His ‘can-do’ attitude and admission that he “can’t sit around not doing anything” really made him stand out. He left Thorns Collegiate Academy with 6 GCSEs and planned to study sports (although he admits he did fail his PE GCSE!). Whilst waiting for his college course to start, he worked in his fathers print workshop in Stoke as he didn’t want to waste the opportunity to work and earn some money.
He started his sporting course but after a few weeks realised it wasn’t what he thought it would be and decided to look at new options which is when he applied to us. He fitted in straight away and found that, although he misses school, he loves working and being more financially independent – “I can afford my own stuff now and not rely on my mom so much”.
He studies every Wednesday at Sandwell College which is over an hour away by bus – again showing his dedication and commitment to his future. He is studying a Level 2 Engineering Operatives Working Within a Fabrication Role – where he is learning MIG, TIG and ARC welding. There is potential for him to progress on to a Level 3 in time.
His course is a mixture of work based learning and online evidence-based course work. He is working with Yvette in the office to make sure that he is achieving the targets set but also that the company is too! We’ve made that commitment to Joe and so don’t want to let him down.
Outside of work, he is taking driving lessons and is confident he’ll pass as he’s been riding his motorbike for several months now. (He doesn’t like taking his bike to college). Joe likes to play football when he can and has a tight circle of friends.
In a short period of time, Joe has become an integral part of the team and we’re so pleased to see him progress and grow in confidence.