Member Article

Teesside firm is first choice for Apprentices

A thriving Teesside firm is proving to be first choice for local job-seekers after giving a permanent role to one apprentice and taking on another.

First Choice Labels has recruited Andrew Bennett as a printer after the 21-year-old completed a two-year apprenticeship with the Redcar firm, while 19-year-old Steve Badham has joined the company as an apprentice printer.

Andrew, from Eston, has joined the First Choice Labels team on a permanent basis on conclusion of his apprenticeship alongside Jamie-Leigh Docherty.

While Jamie-Leigh has been successful in gaining alternative full-time employment, Andrew is putting to good use an apprenticeship that included a NVQ Level 2 in flexographic printing together with on-the-job training in printing and driving forklift trucks.

Nigel Willis, managing director of First Choice Labels, said: “I’m incredibly positive about apprenticeships.

“They are a perfect bridge to employment because they give young people an opportunity to demonstrate that they have a future without the employer having to take the plunge of offering them a permanent role.

“The pay structure of apprenticeships also means there’s no pressure on the employer and they, in turn, don’t therefore feel a need to put pressure on the new recruit to get full capacity from them.”

Steve, from Dormanstown, was recruited as the firm’s latest apprentice after impressing during a two-week trial.

“If Steve does as well as I believe he can, we’ll offer him a full-time role when he completes his apprenticeship,” said Nigel. “This isn’t about us getting cheap labour - it’s a two-year job interview.

“Steve impressed me with his enthusiasm, the way he prepared for his interview and the fact that he offered to do a two-week trial period without pay, which gave us a chance to get a good feel of his attitude and ability.”

Nigel believes apprenticeships offer young people who don’t thrive when it comes to academic study a real alternative to find their niche in life.

“It’s my belief that there is too much emphasis nowadays on qualifications and degrees but when employers like us approach job centres we are often looking for people who are intelligent without necessarily being the sort who have qualifications galore,” he added.

Having launched in premises of 200 square feet 11 years ago, First Choice Labels now have a 10,000 square feet base on Kirkleatham Business Park and boast customers from local sandwich suppliers to major drinks manufacturers, the NHS and the Ministry of Defence.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Martin Walker .