Gloucestershire's Apprenticeship Champions 2019

Kohler Mira Cheltenham SHOWER MANUFACTURER AND PLUMBING

The firm has 50 former apprentices on its books and 21 current. It has at least six apprenticeships split across engineering and commercial routes and it is looking at the potential to expand apprenticeships into additional areas of its business. “We have a long history of apprenticeships, with several of our apprentices having progressed into senior roles, including two members of our executive board. We believe that apprenticeships provide an excellent route into a variety of careers, areas where we have skills gaps and

Grail Engineering Cinderford ENGINEERING Currently employing seven advanced apprentices and two higher apprentices covering engineering, design, accountancy, and team-leading. Looking to recruit three external apprentices and offer in apprenticeship funding, we are now able to use apprenticeships as a vehicle to develop our staff in a much wider range of skills. Although as a non-levy paying company we are restricted in the programmes we can access, which is a real shame. I think SMEs have the most to gain from apprenticeships, but are being excluded and not being able to offer the range of development to their staff.With skills being a key driver of productivity, and the UK’s lower productivity than other developed countries and the high level of UK employment provided by SMEs. This situation is a nonsense. I believe this is an area that the government should address very quickly and put SMEs on a level playing field for the benefit of the UK economy.” Recommended by GET l 7 APPRENTICES 6 APPRENTICES some apprenticeships to internal candidates. “We have always traditionally used five-year apprenticeships to train school leavers as engineers.With the changes

support our future growth plans too. Through providing high quality training and on the job development, we’re proud to sponsor our apprentices to study for degrees, and beyond. Our apprentices bring fresh perspectives, innovative ideas and lots of energy, with the projects they work on, adding value from day one. They are a crucial part of our talent strategy, and continue to strengthen our talent pipeline for the future.” Recommended by GET l

St James’s Place Cirencester FINANCIAL SERVICES To call this firm the biggest in the county by turnover can cause arguments. After all, ‘funds under management’ – what St James’s Place excels at - and money in for product sold is not the same thing. Ignoring that technicality, the financial services plc is now embracing higher apprenticeships through its work with the University of Gloucestershire l Severn Glocon Group Quedgeley ENGINEERING At the forefront of global valve innovation and works with GET. A Queen’s Award winner and British engineering success story which, along with its subsidiaries, designs and manufactures engineered valve products and services to the energy industries. It is also a great way into engineering, letting in a carefully chosen few annually l