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This month Simon Banks talks to Jordan Duggan, Owner & Director of EFT Systems.
Formed in Southport in 1974, EFT provide complete Life Safety and Security Systems to clients in the North West and across the UK. Jordan and EFT are proud supporters of Training and Apprenticeships.
You share my passion for Apprenticeships, what have EFT done to bring young people into our industry?
Ten years ago we identified how important it was for us to bring new talent into our business and we decided we needed to invest in Apprentices. We identified the need for a flow of qualified engineers coming into the company each year to support our growth strategies and that’s why we decided to invest in the EFT Academy! This has steadily grown year-on-year and currently we have 25 apprentices in the Academy. Interestingly, one third of our current apprentices are female! Our industry isn’t just for boys, it is for anybody who is hands-on and wants to be an engineer.
What do you look for in an Apprentice?
We focus on two main things: values and attitude. The rest, we can teach! We want people who want to join us because they know who EFT are and what we stand for. Furthermore, we want individuals who are going to give it there all and commit to an exciting career in our industry. We get lots of applicants who were originally looking at electrical apprenticeships, but after some work experience or initial training, they see the variety that our sector has to offer and they often choose us! The more publicity we can get for our industry, the more young people we can help to find a fulfilling career.
What can someone expect from an Apprenticeship?
You never know on a day-to-day basis what challenges you will face in this world and this really excites the young people that we have met. All our Apprentices are energetic, go-getting and love to show off their skills! This is why we continue to be supporters of the Engineers of Tomorrow and WorldSkills UK competitions. Apprentices love competing against their peers from around the country and showing off their skills.
How have your Apprentices made a difference to your business?
Without doubt, our Apprentices have helped to sustain and directly grow our business. Not only have they enabled us to recruit further afield by showcasing our industry through careers events and talks, but they have also helped us with succession planning throughout our business. Our former Apprentices now hold roles including Team Leaders, Operations Managers, Lead Engineers, Surveying and Design, Training and Audit Managers.
To anyone considering an Apprentice, go for it. I promise, you won’t look back!
You Said It!
“Not only do CSL Group have brilliant equipment and great technical support, they happily look after their customers. đź‘Ť”
Andrew Cavell (BCS Security Solutions) – LinkedIn – 20th Jan
