HR Development Manager, Kirsty Norman, who selects the cohort of apprentices for Derbyshire Constabulary has sung the praises of Lecturer Alison Patterson. She told us:
“Ally’s teaching is facilitative, experiential, motivating and fun and the Mentoring Programme she delivers is informative, thought-provoking and at times touches the emotions. Without a doubt, her intention and destination is to inspire our apprentices to be the very best they can be, whilst successfully supporting them from education into full-time careers. With Mentoring Training now a firm fixture of our annual programme, all the pieces of our tripartite jigsaw have now come together. This workshop is a ‘must-have’ for all employers who are serious about developing and growing their apprentices to support their succession plans for the future. Our Apprentices, Line Managers and the Constabulary, as a whole, are lucky to have Learning Unlimited working with us as part of our Young People Strategy”
Scorpion Red Power: Alan Carrier
“We initially just put the feelers out there, and we got in contact with the head of business development, James Lund. He’s my contact going forward, it’s easy. I ask him for an ‘x’ amount of apprentices, he sends through their CVs, and we then choose, interview and select who we want to hire.”
Briggs of Burton – Martin West
“From our perspective, apprentices add to the mix on the shop floor. We have experienced team members who are passing on their knowledge but the apprentices bring new ideas and have different skills and are more tech-savvy. When you walk on the shop floor it has a real positive feel.”
Becki Hunter – City Couriers
“Finding the right apprentice is key. The confidence you show in an apprentice rubs off on them and will help them become more confident in a work environment. It is really important that you are willing to learn alongside them. It is not free labour, you have to invest in them.”
Stacey Davies-Bowler – Pinewood property estates
“Without young people coming through, any industry gets stagnant. If companies are not giving young people a chance and supporting them to learn, they are going to find a huge void in their workforce. We have had great success with apprentices over the years. It is good to see young people develop in the organisation.”