Aaron Hiscock, Danny Whittle and Karl Rothery at JP Enterprises in Cannock
A group of Walsall College NiTP Apprentices are currently excelling at a laptop specialist business in Cannock. Danny Whittle, Aaron Hiscock and Alex Bolton are all well underway with their apprenticeships and are making a real impression with General Manager of JP Enterprises, Amie Reynolds.
Amie commented: “Apprenticeships provide your business with eager young people who are willing to learn and develop their skills. JP Enterprises finds taking on apprentices extremely beneficial, not only because it helps develop the skills of our trainees, but also it moulds them into a way of working which best suits the company.”
The National IT Partnership is a training scheme specialising in the delivery of IT apprenticeships across the country. NiTP aims to provide the next generation of high quality IT Support Technicians, in order to feed the demand for qualified IT professionals. Working in partnership with further education colleges, NiTP has become the provider of choice for many of the UK’s leading businesses.
Walsall College NiTP Apprentice, Aaron Hiscock (17) said: “I’ve tried other courses before this one but didn’t think they were advanced enough. The NiTP Apprenticeship is amazing. Within one month, I’m now working in a job and am on my way to achieving major qualifications. I never thought I could make this much progress in such a short amount of time. I’ve been doing this in my spare time so it’s great to be getting paid for something I enjoy doing.”
Fellow NiTP Apprentice, Danny Whittle said: “This is the most advanced IT course in the region and it’s good to be getting experience within the workplace at the same time. I am now doing everything I’ve wanted to do since I left school. I definitely want to carry on developing my skills in this profession and make a living fixing people’s IT problems.”
Former NiTP Apprentice, Karl Rothery (20), who has now gained a full time job with the company, commented: “The NiTP Apprenticeship provided me with the training I was after and allowed me to learn on the job. The course provided me with all the knowledge I needed and I have since been taken on as a full time Support Technician.
“I really enjoy the variety of work and the different tasks I get to do within my job. I would definitely recommend this course; it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity.”
General Manager, Aimie added: “We develop each individual to work in a way which best suits the business to achieve the maximum potential for both the business and apprentice. We feel this to be a major benefit to us, as when they are ready to become full time staff members, they are used to the way JP Enterprises work and carry out tasks to the standard we require. It’s now up to companies like ours to provide the opportunities for young people to gain real skills and to make a valuable contribution to the wider economy.”
Employers interested in taking on an IT apprentice and finding out more information about the new grants in place to support companies, should contact NiTP Apprenticeship Consultant, Gemma Shooter on 07824 632724 or e-mail gshooter@walsallcollege.ac.uk.
Walsall College offers a range of apprenticeships. Businesses interested in enquiring about apprenticeship training with Walsall College should contact Jeanette Breckles on 01922 651159 or e-mail jbreckles@walsallcollege.ac.uk. Walsall College will also be holding a free breakfast event at Wisemore Campus on Friday 16th March 7am – 9am, where employers can learn more about the apprenticeship grants, including the Walsall Works initiative. For further information and to register for the event, please register on the events page at www.walsallcollege.ac.uk.
