This month Wolseley looks at the next generation of trades…

wolesey explains
wolesey explains
There has never been a better time to employ an apprentice.

Age: 16+

Appearance: Fresh faced, brand new tool belt (no dirt) and a look of nervousness on their faces.

Why should they be nervous? Nothing to be nervous about at all. They are joining the industry at one of the safest times in the past decade. The training they will undertake will showcase this and they will be taken care of by the best in the industry.

How safe is safe? Safe enough for most trades taking part in the Gas Safe Register’s recent Decade Review to say so. Tighter regulation, smarter technology and refresher courses mean the Class of 2018 will have the confidence to do their job to the best of their ability.

So how do the young whipper snappers get information? Glad you asked that. You do realise it’s National Apprenticeship Week in March, don’t you?

No, what’s that? It’s what it says on the tin, a week celebrating apprenticeships. This year it runs from March 5-9, 2018, and it’s all about the work apprentices carry out.

So, how does that help me? By celebrating apprenticeships, it’s attracting more young people to the trade, and they help us keep things fresh and adopt technology.

But how do we make sure we attract the right talent? Well, for the apprentice themselves, there’s the satisfaction of learning on the job. Employers will pay them a wage each month and the government will pay for the training aspect of the job, what more could it want? There are so many new technologies and innovations revolutionising the way we live, and the installer community has much more opportunity to play a consultative role in the specification of products in people’s homes.

Ok, so it’s about becoming a responsible trade, I like the sound of that… Exactly, and when it comes to safety, it’s imperative that we’re teaching young installers to explain what being Gas Safe Registered means to consumers, as this really helps the industry weed out the nemesis of the plumbing and heating world, illegal traders!

Those pesky illegal traders! So apprenticeships help shape the future of our industry. Right! It’s a great way of encouraging young, fresh blood into a business. Think of all those new ideas and new ways of working out problems; ultimately this helps with your productivity. You also have a readily available permanent member of staff once they’ve become fully qualified. You also get someone to share the tea round and potentially a great mate for life!

Do say: Come on kid, let’s teach each other all we know.

Don’t say: Young people, what do they know?!

Find Plumb Center on Twitter, at: @wolseleyuk

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