Apprentice project sparks electrician's interest

Buy photos » Neil Jones from Bobst Group, Nitin Sodha from Lexon, Simon Neale of Rockline Industries and Patrick O'Neill of WEG Electrical Motors, pledge to create more apprenticeships. (s)

AN ELECTRICIAN who runs his own business has taken the campaign to create 50 apprenticeships in 50 days within touching distance of its target.

Paul James, of Paul's Electrical Services, became the latest company boss to join Redditch Borough Council's apprenticeship challenge by pledging to take on an apprentice, bringing the total number created to 40.

Mr James decided to sign up after initially being approached by councillors Rebecca Blake and Pattie Hill.

He said: "I've always felt it's important we put something back into the community we make a living from. That's why we have a history of taking on young apprentices from the area, and we're delighted to be coming on board with this latest initiative."

Coun Bill Hartnett, leader of Redditch Borough Council, said: "I'm proud to see the 40th apprenticeship in Redditch being created by a local man come good, who has gone from one man and his screwdriver to a limited company employing 15 people.

"Paul's Electrical Services are one of the council's framework contractors and they have helped out in the community before, such as with the Christmas tree in Batchley. Now they have signed up to our apprenticeship challenge and taken us into the final run to hit the 50 new apprenticeships we have aimed for from the start."

Last Friday (March 1) the council signed up four more borough businesses to the scheme, Bobst Group, Lexon, Rockline Industries and WEG Electrical Motors, which pledged to create five apprenticeships between them.

Beoley based Oakland International has also committed to recruiting four new apprenticeships at the same time as announcing plans to create 80 new jobs by the end of 2014.

David Hoey, HR and purchasing director at Oakland International, said: "As part of our strategic growth plans, we intend to increase the current workforce from 200 employees to 280 by the end of 2014, viewing the apprenticeship scheme as the ideal launch platform to help us achieve this, whilst raise awareness of the benefits of apprenticeships to both the business community and those seeking employment and training opportunities locally.

"Being involved with every section of our community, our aim is to achieve a positive exponential effect; whereby we reach one person and in turn they positively impact on those around them and so on. As a successful local business, our involvement is a sound investment for both the company’s future, and that of young people in the area."

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