Will Fairhurst first came to GPW Recruitment on work experience and now, through his Apprenticeship with St Helens Chamber, is a valuable member of the team. After discovering that college and University wasn’t for him, he decided to pursue an Apprenticeship to get industry experience and gain qualifications.
He explains: “I originally came here for work experience and then I got offered an Apprenticeship. I was at college but I wasn’t enjoying the education side of it like the exams and A levels.
“I wanted to get out there and start earning money, my Apprenticeship got me financially stable at an early stage and I love what I am doing now. It’s been an added bonus getting a qualification at the same time.”
Will has completed his Level 2 qualification in ICT and has now progressed to Level 3. GPW Recruitment recently put him forward for an Apprentice of the Year award because of his hard work within the company.
Gary Ward, Operations Director at GPW Recruitment said: “I nominated Will for Apprentice of the Year because of the hard work he has done over the last couple of years.
“He is always willing to try and learn new things and is a real asset to the team. He is a part of it now, he is relied upon in the company. We are proud of what he has achieved in a short space of time.”
Will credits his Apprenticeship with giving him the experience and training he needs to become confident in the workplace, whilst gaining qualifications. He was motivated by the fact that while on an Apprenticeship, you earn whilst you learn. He said: “It suits some people to go to college and suits some to do an Apprenticeship, you know your own academic ability.
“It took me two years to do my A levels at college, when I could have come here two years earlier and done just as much in a shorter space of time. It depends on what motivates you, I wanted to get out and start working and start supporting myself.”
For Will, the extra support he has received whilst completing his Apprenticeship through GPW Recruitment and St Helens Chamber has been invaluable.
He commented: “Doing an Apprenticeship was all about experience and getting into workplace for me. Instead of getting a full time job and being left alone, with an Apprenticeship you develop within the company.
“They train you their way, with the input of the Chamber, and you gain different qualifications and skills that you wouldn’t necessarily learn getting thrown in at the deep end.
“It gives you the stepping stones to be able to develop and grow how you’d like in an organisation and if you have any problems you can contact the Chamber or training advisers.”
For more information about Apprenticeships please call Starting Point on 01744 698800 or email apprenticeships@sthelenschamber.com
