For any business facing expansion there is the issue of recruiting staff. At Protect Line Insurance the company has successfully incorporated apprenticeships as part of their HR strategy.
Established just four years ago with less than ten staff, the company has gone from strength to strength now employing a team of around eighty at its headquarters in Branksome.
The life insurance brokerage company has been working with FNTC Training which has offices in Bournemouth, Southampton, Romsey and the Isle of Wight, to help them source and train young staff. FNTC Training specialises in apprenticeships in business administration, customer service, childcare and health and social care. They also deliver higher level qualifications for those in supervisory and management positions.
Already employing four apprentices, Protect Line Insurance is now looking to recruit additional trainees as part of National Apprenticeship Week 2014.
Toni Taylor, team manager at Protect Line said, “FNTC Training have helped us recruit young people who are keen to kick–start their careers, and willing to earn and learn. We give our apprentices a lot of on-the-job support, and they are given interesting jobs, with responsibility and future prospects. I started in a junior admin role and have worked my way up through the company, so I know first- hand that there are opportunities to develop your career. Our company supports training, in fact I am currently studying for a Level 3 management qualification myself.”
The business administration apprentices receive support from a tutor and their co-workers as they work towards nationally recognised qualifications.
Apprentice Sabrina Barnes commented, “Studying is done on-line, so it is flexible. Our assessor comes in to review our progress and chat to us and our line manager. If anyone is out there wondering about apprenticeships I would definitely recommend them. It’s not slave labour! All four of us are very well respected and given important tasks to undertake. We are valued as members of the team and we are learning some excellent business and office skills.”
As part of National Apprenticeship Week 2014 [3-7 March] the team at FNTC are keen to hear from both employers and young people interested in finding out more.
Tara Roudiani, MD at FNTC Training added, “Apprenticeships are certainly enjoying a revival. Employers can see the benefits of training a young person into the ways of their business, giving them good future employees. If anything, more work needs to be done to encourage school leavers to consider apprenticeships as an option. You may not start on the highest salary, but you gain an enormous amount of real life work experience and develop skills on-the-job.”
For more information call FNTC Training at their Bournemouth training centre on 01202 764 520 email [email protected] or visit the website www.fntctraining.co.uk
