Apprenticeships provide an excellent talent pathway for companies, employers train and keep dedicated young people with the skills to succeed in our industries.

New GAMBICA laboratory technology member, ESSLAB, have a strong apprentice intake at their company in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex.

As part of our National Apprenticeship Week coverage, we visited the trusted lab supplier of certified reference materials, instrumentation and consumables to find out more about their current apprentices.

Charlie Horne, 19, wants to be a chartered accountant. He’s currently studying for his AAT while working at ESSLAB as an Apprentice Accounts Assistant. He said: “I want to work my way up and eventually complete a degree apprenticeship. Getting a wage and learning at the same time is a huge bonus. You gain more experience this way by putting your skills into practice.”

Billy Boyes, 19, is working in B2B sales at ESSLAB. He said: “I was thinking about going to uni but didn’t want the debt. I chose an apprenticeship to learn on the job. I’m in a more valuable learning environment, no one is closing orders at university.”

Owen Day, 18, is completing a Level 6 degree apprenticeship in Leadership & Management while working at ESSLAB. He said: “I would definitely recommend the apprenticeship route to other young people. I like working and getting paid. You have to learn to apply your skills here, not just read a textbook – it’s real life!”

Izzy Carlin, 18, studies digital marketing at ARU alongside her role as ESSLAB’s Digital Marketer. She said: “I’ve always enjoyed working and I’m driven, I thought an apprenticeship would be the right route for me. It’s the best thing I could have done for myself, I’m working and learning at the same time while getting lots of experience.”

Richard Day, Managing Director at ESSLAB, said: “Some think investing in young people is risky, fearing the costs, drain on resource and the possibility they’ll leave after earning their qualification. But we see it differently. We believe in showing them the opportunities we have to offer, developing their skills, creating a fulfilling environment, and ensuring they enjoy working with us. The onus is very much on us to build a working environment which is enjoyable, challenging and rewarding.  If they choose to leave, it’s on us. So far, the apprenticeships have been a boon for our business, and I’m confident others could benefit from adopting this model.”

For more information about hiring an apprentice, visit https://www.apprenticeships.gov.uk/employers