Simmons joined LTM in July at just 16 years of age, having just left school. Whilst still at school six months prior to joining LTM, he wrote to John Jones to ask about joining the company under the scheme. At the time there were no vacancies available but his initiative impressed, so when an opportunity arose, Robert was invited to interview and got the job.
Simmons joins Joe Griffiths in the workshop as the second apprentice currently being trained at LTM. Like Griffiths, he will be spending 12 months in the warehouse receiving product training, dispatching goods and observing the other engineers at work. This will lead on to an apprenticeship course in Electrical and Mechanical Maintenance which will involve one day of tuition at a local college to learn essential theory and four days a week working in the hoist assembly team to developing their practical skills.
Skills shortages and recruiting difficulties are considered to be some of the biggest threats facing businesses today, and The Young Apprenticeship Scheme addresses these issues directly. Commenting on this, John Jones remarks: "It's becoming increasingly difficult to recruit skilled lifting equipment engineers, so we feel that in the present climate the best way forward for us as a company is to bring new apprentices through the business."
Four of LTM's apprentices are still at the company, some of whom have subsequently moved into supervisory positions and even been asked to travel abroad to use their skills. John Jones continues: "We plan to recruit one apprentice per year over the next five years and see how things develop. As a responsible employer, we feel it is important not just to recruit talent, but to nurture it. Ultimately it's all about the people, if we get people in with the right attitude like the guys we've had through on this scheme, then we're all set. You can teach the right skills, but you can't teach the right attitude."
(Jim Evans)
