You're hired: Channel vows to recruit apprentices
ANS Group and Concorde talk up school-leaver courses to coincide with National Apprenticeship Week
A reseller duo has talked up its commitment to recruiting young people as National Apprenticeship Week gets into full swing.
Manchester reseller ANS Group unveiled a revamped version of its apprenticeship scheme as it laid out its plans to grow the scheme in the months ahead.
Its initiative was first called the Cloud Academy when it launched in 2013, but this year it will be renamed the ANS Academy to better reflect the nature of the 12-month training scheme.
In its first year, ANS welcomed six apprentice recruits, but this year is aiming to appoint 30 to the scheme along with its current intake (pictured).
As part of the course, youngsters will get on-the-job training and the chance to complete vendor certifications. On successfully passing the course, they will be guaranteed employment at the company.
Paul Sweeney, CEO of ANS Group, said: "Whilst the option of going to further and higher education is available, the curriculum is often too broad by definition. Often, at the end of a three-year course, items and areas studied have been superseded by new technologies or IT concepts, the very nature of IT.
"The UK has aspirations to be a world digital leader and the north will play a huge part in that. Our ANS Academy is nurturing young talent and helping develop the next generation of digital leaders."
Wakefield reseller Concorde IT Group also got in on the action during National Apprenticeship Week – an initiative organised by the government to raise awareness and uptake of apprenticeships and traineeships across the country.
The firm's managing director Neil Roberts championed the employment of young people as the company prepares for its latest intake of apprentices to complete their first 12 months in the coming weeks.
During their time at the firm, the recruits worked in a number of departments such as logistics, server desk, workshop and profession services.
Roberts – who started out as an IT apprentice himself – said nurturing young talent was important to him.
"The IT and technology industry is ever evolving and so the skills that we may have needed to fulfil customer requirements six months ago, may be different to those we need in the here and now and those needed in a further six months' time," he said.
"Hiring apprentices gives us the opportunity to harness the energy of young IT enthusiasts who have the appetite for a long-standing career and the ambition to succeed.
"We are a modern and innovative company, growing alongside our workforce and so our Apprenticeship Academy is a great way for us to recruit, develop and retain highly skilled staff."