IAAPS Ltd are based in Emersons Green, Bristol and are a a research and innovation facility for propulsion systems. Their apprentice, Kieran, is training to be a technician in part of our technical team. He will be assisting in installing/modifying electrical and mechanical test pieces for the customer. As well as fabricating test rigs and completing electrical wiring harnesses.
We spoke to Simon who is the Technical Services Manager.
What inspired you to consider hiring an apprentice for your team?
“We are quite a new business so felt the time was right to get our first apprentice. What we do is quite specialised, so we wanted to ensure they are getting taught the relevant skills to thrive in this role and mould them into being a great asset. We are keen advocates for STEM and wanted to offer a young person the opportunity to get into engineering.”
How has having an apprentice benefited your business so far?
“A younger mind to engage with us in problem solving, also you can feel the enthusiasm from them!”
Can you share a success story or key moment involving your apprentice?
“We haven`t seen much of our Kieran yet as he has been at college full time, but we all enjoy seeing Kieran starting to come out of his shell and getting involved when he is on site. We’re excited to see him bring what he has learned into IAAPS.”
What challenges or barriers did you face in recruiting or managing an apprentice on your own?
“We haven’t got an “on-site” HR department, so the thought of recruiting an apprentice was quite daunting. Especially trying to find the time to go through and “vet” all the applicants. SWAC was extremely helpful doing this and saved us a lot of work!”
Had you considered taking on an apprentice before, and if so, why didn’t it work out at the time?
“As we are quite a new business, this is our first apprentice. The time felt right to get one now as we are gradually expanding.”
What made you choose SWAC to support your business?
“SWAC was recommended by our HR Dept as they have used SWAC before.”
How have our services made it easier for you to bring an apprentice on board?
“SWAC made it easier to put the advert out and to go through all the applicants CVs! Having the applications all go through SWAC took a lot of work off us and freed up our time.”
Were there specific concerns or needs we addressed for you?
“SWAC worked with IAAPS and Weston College diligently to understand what we did as a business and what we required from a training course. The course selected fitted our needs perfectly.”
How has SWAC helped with apprentice management, training coordination, or funding access?
“Apprenticeship management is the main one that has been very helpful.”
Have you been able to focus on your core business activities?
“Yes, we have been freed up to carry on doing our jobs at IAAPS.”
How has this experience changed your perspective on hiring apprentices in the future?
“We are keen to keep this going now and try and hire another apprentice this year. It is great giving a young student the foot up to get into this exciting business.”
Would you recommend SWAC to other employers? If so, why?
“Yes, if you want to reap the benefits of having an apprentice but don`t want to get bogged down with the admin/paperwork side of it then I would recommend.”
Where have you seen your apprentices contribute to your business beyond their day-to-day tasks?
“In our limited time spent with Kieran we like his curiosity and fresh thinking. I always say to him to ask questions, every day is a school day!”
For more information about Apprenticeships and what we do go to www.theswac.org.uk call 01452 733962 or email info@theswac.org.uk
