Last week, I joined apprentices and staff at Waitrose in Cobham, to mark National Apprenticeship Week 2016. I was met by store manager Will Lane and local co-ordinator Caroline Fielding, and got the opportunity to shadow the two apprentices working in the Cobham store, Paige and Jake (pictured with me above) to see the kind of work they do and the skills they learn. Apprenticeships are a fantastic way for bright, hands on, youngsters to get ahead.
Waitrose’s apprenticeship scheme offers apprentices the chance to move around the branch, working in each section, so after a year their apprentices have a good overall knowledge of their store - and the different skills that go with it, from sales to health and safety, with a strong customer facing emphasis. During my visit, Jake and Paige showed me around the in-store bakery, different parts of the shop floor, and I helped out a bit with re-stocking the shelves.
National Apprenticeship Week is an initiative co-ordinated by the National Apprenticeship Service, and backed by the government. The idea behind the week is to support apprenticeships and the positive impact they have on individuals, businesses and the wider economy. In the Esher and Walton constituency, there have been 2,050 new apprenticeships started since 2010 – and 2.6 million more apprenticeships nationally – improving skills and providing more opportunity for young people. I hope many more young people will take up the opportunity to become an apprentice - a great career stepping stone.