Apprenticeship was the perfect career pathway for Tom

Warwickshire County Council's Tom Richman is a perfect example of the two-way benefits of employers taking on apprentices.

Tom joined the county council's Strategic Procurement team on a two-year apprenticeship in September 2013.

And, those two years having elapsed, he has just started a permanent position there in a team from which he has learned much - and to which he already contributed plenty.

Tom, aged 20, is cogent proof that the value of apprenticeships is a two-way street. He has received the perfect grounding to his career while the council has recruited a talented employee whom they have been able to train and shape to be of maximum benefit.

"I didn't want to go to university," said Tom, who was born in Warwick and lives in Stratford-upon-Avon. "I couldn't see myself there and didn't want to spend three years and incur a debt on a degree that might have no relevance to my future. I wanted an apprenticeship because I knew that way I could gain hands-on experience while also pursuing qualifications.

"I had never thought of the county council as a potential employer but my careers officer called to say there was a vacancy. I went for an interview and started the apprenticeship a week later.

"It has worked out really well. I'm so glad my careers officer spotted that ad."

So is the council. Eager to learn and work hard, Tom was soon tapping into the expertise of his colleagues - and quickly became an asset to the department.

"Everybody was so helpful," said the former Stratford High School pupil. "People were happy to share their knowledge and help me along. In every session I learned something and I thank everyone so much for that.

"People were very patient and understanding as I learned, but also happy to take my ideas into account.

"For the first month I went on lots of training courses and did a lot of shadowing, but I was soon taking on responsibilities including managing email accounts and being the first point of contact for customers on the phone. I have good IT skills so, as time went on, I have taken on a training role and that is a big part of my job now. I have trained more than 140 people on our bespoke E-tendering system."

Alongside his practical experience, Tom has undertaken an NVQ Level 3 in Business and Administration as well as the Level 3 Certificate in the Principles of Business Administration. He was then asked to complete both a Level 3 and 4 Certificate in 'Achieving Excellence in a Vocational Skill.'

Tom's commitment and quality has earned him recognition. He was among the finalists for the CWT Apprentice of the Year awards and the Warwickshire Business Awards while he has also been nominated in the apprentice category for the Warwickshire Star staff awards at the start of next month.

He is a young man of much promise - promise which has flourished in the great nurturing ground of an apprenticeship.

* The Apprenticeship Hub offers free support and advice to local firms who may be thinking of hiring an apprentice and helps them to find out whether apprenticeships could be right for their business. The hub has created more than 120 apprenticeship opportunities with small businesses across Warwickshire, in addition to creating 60 apprenticeship opportunities with the county council. 

Find out more from the Apprenticeship Hub by emailing apprentice@warwickshire.gov.uk calling 01926 418040 or visiting http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/getanapprentice