T Clarke has been providing a flow of home-trained operatives for some 117 years. We take on school leavers each year and also provide opportunities to more mature people to become adult trainees.

As labour manager, I am often asked why most companies seem reluctant to employ adult trainees? It is a difficult question to answer, but it is certainly true that within the industry few financial incentives exist for companies to provide training to adult trainees.

Government or external funding is made available to apprentices (16–19 year olds) employed through bona fide training schemes. The funding covers the cost of the college courses (City & Guilds 2330 levels 2 & 3), the AM2 and NVQ3 certification, as well as admin costs associated with the training. All other costs surrounding the employment of the apprentice are met by the employer.

T Clarke employs adult trainees on the basis of partial self-funding: the company reimburses the trainee as reward for achievements obtained. Under this arrangement, the candidate meets the initial cost of courses and exams. Then, providing the candidate completes the course and is successful in the exams and assignments, full reimbursement of the fees is made by T Clarke. The company allows time off for college attendance and exams, which is unpaid. By acceptance of these terms the candidates demonstrate a commitment to training as their own time and money is at risk should they fail.

Since operating this scheme, T Clarke has produced a number of quality electricians from people who previously may have had very little chance of learning a skilled trade.

I see no reason why the government should not provide a reimbursement scheme to all electrical contracting companies that would be prepared to offer training in a similar fashion. An agent such as JTL might well be willing to manage such a scheme as a bolt-on to their apprentice training operations.

We as a country and an industry with a potential skills shortage should take stock of this situation. In London and the south east especially, with the future construction programme that is envisaged, an opportunity exists to provide training pathways for a large number of people: people who may have ventured into the wrong career path initially, but have the potential to succeed within the electrical contracting industry.

John Burrows, Labour manager T Clarke

Source

Electrical and Mechanical Contractor