Apprenticeships are nothing new but they certainly seem to be gaining in popularity over recent years.

Firms which have been running apprenticeships for years have seen many of their apprentices promoted to senior positions.

One such company is Newport-based manufacturer Industrial Automation and Control.

Peter Lewis, managing director of the firm, started his working career as an apprentice with South Wales Switchgear in Pontllanfraith, so he knows first hand the benefits of an apprentice scheme both for a business and for the individual.

He said: “I have been blowing a trumpet for apprentice schemes for a long, long time. All of the directors at IAC Ltd came through the apprentice route and more than 75 per cent of our workforce came the same way.

"More than 50 per cent of the people who work here came through our own scheme. I was an apprentice. Our other directors Paul Ryan and Phil Kitson, came through Llanwern and Drake and Scull respectively.

“Our apprenticeship scheme has been in existence since IAC started in 1989. Andrew Singleton, currently working in our drawing office, was our first apprentice. Since then, we have been able to offer every graduating apprentice, bar one, a job. And of those, all bar one are still with us.

“Apprentice training gives the company four years to test out the capabilities of the individual and develop the skills, both technical and personal, which we require from our workforce.

"At the end of the training period, every apprentice we have trained has only wanted to work for us. We believe this is down to the attention we pay to them during the four years, along with the fact that this is a very happy place to work anyway.

“We currently take on two apprentices a year, working alongside Newport and District Group Training who oversee the NVQ portion of the training.

"In addition to that, the apprentice is required to undertake an academic course, one day a week, usually BTec Ordinary National Certificate, followed by Higher National Certificate. At the end of the apprenticeship, we encourage our people to continue academically and work towards a BEng and professional membership of the Institute of Electrical Engineers.

“On top of this, we have developed a manual which gives the apprentice a detailed map of what he/she has to do over the four years of their apprenticeship. It includes a large number of tasks which have to be completed in each of the departments of the company before we would consider awarding a certificate at the end of the period.

“It is four years of extremely hard work, but I know that any of our apprentices would wholeheartedly endorse the fact that it is well worth it. We support and assist everyone in our organisation, and we also realise that people are going to fail at some point. It is not the failure that is the issue; it’s how they/we react to that situation. As a teenager, starting out in a job for the first time, you would want support when times are hard. We have found a balance between hard work and enjoyment which gets the very best out of all of our apprentices.

“The apprentice can achieve a degree qualification in seven years, without going through A levels and university. This is one year longer than the normal route, but during that time the apprentice is earning money and not running up a huge debt. They are also getting the invaluable industrial experience which university graduates still have to achieve before becoming useful engineers.

"We do also take on graduates and have four really good engineers currently in our design team. They are working alongside many others who have come through our own apprentice scheme and there is little or no difference in the capabilities of any of them. All of them have become experienced due to the varied and extensive work we undertake at IAC. All are well rounded individuals with a sensible and practical outlook on life.

“I would encourage all companies to seriously look at the apprentice schemes available and make an effort to plan for the longer term. The key areas to consider are what the company requires in seven or eight years’ time, and not what grants they can make use of. The cost can only be justified if the company wants to keep the apprentice for life. Too many companies are waiting for the Government to assist in setting up apprentice schemes.

“We are not talking about getting cheap labour - we are investing in the future of our company.

“If you want an apprentice scheme that suits you and your business, then get out and do it yourself. We pay our apprentices a good wage, incremented annually, providing they achieve the required standards. The training at NDGTA is funded from government and we have to pay for the University courses.

“Of course it comes at a cost, we are not talking about getting cheap labour - we are investing in the future of our company. We have seen companies who take on kids as a way of reducing the wage bill. These people do really annoy me. The company makes a commitment to the individual, to train and prepare him or her for life. I take that contract very seriously and being able to achieve that goal is my main consideration.

“Apprenticeships are a passion of mine. If I can help to promote the cause, I will do so.”