Skills & Solutions: King’s Lynn Careers Event

King’s Lynn’s Corn Exchange was buzzing yesterday morning at the Careers and Apprenticeship Event.

Organised by the Borough Council and the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), some fifty or so businesses were exhibiting their employment and apprenticeship opportunities together local with educational institutions, showcasing a diverse range of career and training options to the 800 visitors who attended the event.

Cllr Jo Rust said, “I got here before the event actually opened and you could sense from all the organisations representing various sectors that are offering skills training and apprenticeships how enlivened they felt, and the young people - they're going through the hall with parents and carers and are really interested what they are hearing here.”

“This year with a bigger space we’ve been able to invite three times the number of employers and they’ve really stepped up and supported; not just for youth but all ages with training opportunities across all sectors including retail, hairdressing, and Estate Agents alongside manufacturing and construction,it’s been incredible” explained Sam Taylor from the DWP’s Employer Adviser team, “next year, bigger, better!”

Shane Ballard, Director at the Norfolk Agents said: “We’re here looking for outstanding candidates to join us; communicators with drive and personality to represent our brand and we’ve found one already today!”

Shane Ballard and Sales Agent Zara Baker

Trading on the North Lynn Industrial Estate, Dodman Ltd has 60 employees manufacturing machines for the food processing industry. On their stand was Workshop Manager Lawrence Foreman and Operations Manager Nathan Pack who said: “we usually take on two apprentices each year, the apprenticeship training is college day release and on-the-job, and with 5 GCSE’s including English and Maths the career prospects with the company are excellent.”

Lawrence Foreman and Nathan Pack

Rob Walton from Darby Wholesale Pant Nursery told me that the company produces 1.3 million plants a year for garden centres. His enthusiasm for the job was infectious, “I’m looking for someone who is keen to learn and the possibilities in this industry are fantastic.”

Rob Walton

Hayes and Storr’s HR manager Michelle Lockwood was keen to describe the range of careers within the law firm saying that each of their five offices across North and West Norfolk has an apprentice.

Hayes & Storr team

With 206 employees of which 122 are on the shop floor, SKF Cooper in South Lynn currently have fifteen apprentices and they are looking for more. “Apprenticeships aren’t just for school and college leavers”, said Apprenticeships Manager, Gary Hellard, who indicted a video playing on the stand showing a female apprentice who had joined the company after a different career. “And we are encouraging more females to get into engineering.” He added.

Paul Davidson (People Business Enabler) and Gary Hellard

BAE Systems representatives who reported lots of interest 

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