All our apprentices are champions!

THAT is the message from the Scion Group. Scion, based in Didcot provides a range of electrical, mechanical and facilities management services for clients ranging from individual households to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford.

The company’s technical services division has had three of its apprentice trainees nominated for prizes in recent years and last year Todd Willis won the Central London Maintenance Association ‘Apprentice of the Year’ award.

This is clear evidence that not only does the company provide outstanding support to their trainees, they also seek recognition wherever possible for the contribution they make to the company.

So why does Scion recruit and train apprentices? For Rob Basey, branch manager at the company’s Harwell site, the reasons are clear.

First, the Apprenticeship programme provides an excellent base set of knowledge and skills for trainees from which to start their working lives. Scion pairs the trainees with experienced workers. This provides the trainees with a mentor who can support the trainee in their development whilst the trainee provides a supporting (and sometimes legally required) pair of hands for the experienced professional.

Second, the Apprenticeship provides a consistent framework for developing trainees so the company knows from year to year exactly what trainees need to learn and do to achieve their qualifications.

This consistency means that the company knows pretty well what knowledge and skills the trainee will develop and they can tailor this to ensure the trainee is fully productive in the range of services Scion offers its clients.

Rob comments that between years two and three of their programme, trainees start to become really productive employees. When asked if he felt the Apprenticeship programme provided value for money, the answer is quite clear.

“Absolutely,” he said.

Scion has been working with Newbury College Business Development Solutions for delivery of Apprenticeship training for more than 20 years and the company is very happy with the service it receives.

Rob explained how he particularly appreciated the feedback that he gets from staff about trainees’ progress.

College staff are keen to visit and sit down with Rob to provide a full and detailed overview of trainees’ progress and this is supported by regular written progress reports that Rob is asked to comment on and sign.

Such is the company’s enthusiasm for Apprenticeship training that the company now also has an office-based Business Administration apprentice at the Didcot head office.

This close working partnership between training provider, employer and trainee ensures that the trainees perform to their full potential and that Scion is able to maximise the return on its investment.

Scion is looking forward to continuing its partnership with the Apprenticeship programme and Newbury College. The company has already recruited two new apprentices who will start their programmes during the coming months.

Andrew Hooper, director of employer engagement and sales at Newbury College, said “We have very much enjoyed working with Scion over a long period of years and we are delighted to be working with a company that is enthusiastic about Apprenticeships and the value they offer.

“We know that companies of all sizes and all industries can gain big returns by employing and training apprentices and we’re looking forward to expanding our provision as well as continuing the important relationship we have with Scion.”