As we mark National Apprenticeship Week Richard Rankin, CEO of the H&H Group Plc extols the virtues of apprenticeship schemes as a chosen career path.
H&H Group has always believed in nurturing the talents of the next generation and to celebrate National Apprenticeship Week (7th - 13 February), we talk to six of the Group’s staff members who started their working lives as apprentices. We hear of the fantastic opportunities given to these individuals through apprenticeship schemes and how the company has helped them learn their trade and develop their career paths to date.
The Group’s most recently appointed apprentice is 19-year-old Abigail Gate who joined H&H Land & Estates earlier this year. Coming from a farming background on her father’s side, Abigail went to school in Penrith. After successfully completing her A Levels, she wasn’t sure whether to go to university. When she saw the position with H&H Land & Estates advertised, she felt it offered her the perfect opportunity to work towards a professional qualification at the same time as learning on the job.
Run in association with Harper Adams University this five-year Chartered Surveyor Rural Degree Apprenticeship Programme will give Abigail the best of both worlds. Her academic tuition will be delivered by a first-rate university, and the equally important hands-on experience will be gained through working with one of the North of England’s most highly respected land agents. Abigail said “I am so excited to work with H&H Land & Estates, as I know that for me, the apprenticeship route will work much better than a full-time university course. I am really interested in land management, particularly the environmental side of the business, so I can’t wait to get stuck into the programme.”
Trainee account handler Chloe Brough has been with H&H Insurance Brokers since December 2019 and is currently working towards professional qualifications through an apprenticeship programme.
Chloe, 20, joined HHIB as an apprentice after trying university and realising that it wasn’t the right path for her. “I knew H&H Group well because my family sells beef and sheep through the mart and, when the chance to join H&H Insurance Brokers as an apprentice came up, I knew it was an opportunity I wanted to take.”
Chloe’s parents farm at Wigton near Carlisle and she studied A-Levels at Nelson Thomlinson School in the town. “I’m from a farming background which gives me a real insight into the industry which is helpful in my day-to-day role at work.” Chloe is due to sit the final exams of her level three Insurance Practitioner apprenticeship at the end of March and, if successful, she will be awarded her Certificate in Insurance from the Chartered Insurance Institute.
Cameron Robertson, 22, started with Harrison & Hetherington in 2018 and is an Apprentice Auctioneer. With a farming background, he comes from Dumfries where his father was a cattle dealer. “I experienced livestock markets my whole life and have always wanted to be an auctioneer. When I first started, I was based in the office, then progressed to working with stock and going out with the other auctioneers to meet with the farmers.” Based at Borderway Mart in Carlisle, Cameron works primarily across Dumfries and Galloway and helps with the store sales at Lockerbie. He now takes to the rostrum himself and has also sold everything from poultry for a few pounds to pedigree sheep going for thousands; he also has responsibility for selling calves weekly. The next stage of Cameron’s career is to complete his auctioneering exams to become fully qualified in auctioneering.
Joining the H&H Group in 2014 is Jade Haughan from Kirkbride is an Assistant Accountant with the company today. For Jade, sixth form spent at school did not appeal, as she wanted to get into the world of work as soon as possible. So, she left school aged 16 and applied for an administration apprenticeship. Her first tasks in the H&H office were general admin jobs, filing and answering the telephone. While being mentored in the office, every fortnight for three months she had a day out of the office to attend training courses. “I remember the day I got this position; it was same day I received my GCSE results, so I was on a high for the whole day. What I like best about the job is that every day is different and the team I work with here are fantastic – I have learnt so much from them. I am now Assistant Accountant, and my career has continually progressed. I would advise anyone to take career path down the apprenticeship route, especially as today, there are many more on offer, than when I started.”
Jade is not one to stand still and today aged 23 she has completed her Association of Accounting Technicians levels two and three, and her next goal is to become a fully qualified Accountant.
Emma Atkinson , 21, joined Harrison & Hetherington in August 2018 after a year at Newton Rigg completing a Level 3 Technical Diploma in Agriculture incorporating Livestock Husbandry, Business and Machinery modules. When she saw the Business Administrator Apprenticeship opportunity with H&H, she was keen for the challenge. Her farming background and knowledge of livestock gained at college stood her in good stead, and she is now a fully qualified Administration Assistant. Her 18-month apprenticeship, included spending one day at college every other week, alongside building portfolios of work and taking exams based around the relevant legislation. “I like being at the sharp end, whether that is manning the telephones or doing financial work. I also really enjoy working with the farmers and getting out into the sales ring, both here at Carlisle and occasionally at Lockerbie to clerk and cashier the sales. No two days are the same, and there is always a new challenge, however one of the steepest learning curves for me was adapting to the new online sales and trading.”
Emma’s aim going forward is to progress her career from an administration perspective.
H&H Reeds, the digital marketing and printing division of the H&H Group, appointed Jamie Blenkinsop as an apprentice Print Finisher when he was 21, through a scheme run by the British Print Industries Federation (BPIF). During the three-year course he was trained in operating all the finishing machinery, from guillotines to laminators. Eight years later, he is now fully qualified and Bindery Coordinator. In this role, he heads up the print finishing division which is a team of seven. His responsibilities include planning work schedules, logistics and deliveries. “Before I started with H&H Reeds I was working for McDonalds and just wanted a change. I am so fortunate to have come across an apprenticeship scheme which has changed my life. I now have a great career and have recently been invited to join the H&H Group’s Future Leaders Programme. I would recommend the apprenticeship route to anyone – you can earn while you learn and there is very specific job training as part of the programme.”
Richard Rankin CEO of the H&H Group commented “These apprenticeship schemes allow us to give the next generation solid foundation upon which to build their careers. It also means we can offer opportunities to all, not just the better off, as apprentices are paid while they are still learning the basics and gaining their qualifications. As you can see, many stay with us for the long term and have successful and fulfilling careers within the H&H Group, and these are only a few of many spread across our entire group. I would urge everyone to look at what apprenticeships are available, as they offer a fantastic alternative to taking those first steps into a daunting new career and have been proven to be, for some, the best route to success.”
With a diverse range of interests, the H&H Group PLC operates as a holding company, with operating companies and divisions encompassing Livestock and Machinery Auctioneers, Valuers, Chartered Surveyors, Property and Estate Agents, Auction Rooms, Commercial Printers, Graphic Designers, Digital Marketers and Insurance Brokers. Deep-rooted within agricultural and the wider rural economy and operating across the north of England and Scottish Borders in recent years the company has grown and evolved and today employs over 300 members of staff.