AMEON LIFELINE FOR REDUNDANT APPRENTICES
Posted by: electime 7th October 2020
A North West building services engineering company has stepped in to save the day, and the apprenticeships, of five young workers from the region, after they were made redundant by former employers, as part of the fallout from Covid-19.
Lancashire based Ameon, heard of the plight of the five, third and fourth-year electrical trainees, who had been employed by three companies in the region, and decided to double the company’s planned 2020 intake of apprentices from five to ten, to enable the previously unlucky quintet to complete their apprenticeships and qualify as electricians.
Fourth year apprentices, Luke Baillie, 20, and Ryan O’Toole, 24, both of Thornton Cleveleys, worked for the same electrical contractor in Blackpool. Fleetwood’s Harvey Cygal, 20, was made redundant from his job in Poulton-le-Fylde, and Robert Jackson, 30, of Fulwood, Preston and Thomas Ousby, 19, of Freckleton, were working on the same project for a mechanical and electrical contractor in Preston when they received the bad news about redundancy.
The five apprentices whose careers have been put back on track by Ameon will join the first year electrical and mechanical apprentice cohort at the Blackpool based company, with more apprentices set to join to fill the remaining mechanical/heating ventilation positions. All will work across the region on a series of high profile contracts in Manchester, Liverpool, Preston and Cheshire.
Commenting on the increased apprentice intake, Ameon contract director, Rod Bunce said: “Without continued employment, the mature apprentices would not have been able to complete their training and studies, so although we had budgeted already for our planned apprenticeships this year, we couldn’t turn a blind eye to the situation of these young people. It would have been such a waste of their talent, efforts and study to date, and we are happy to have stepped in to offer them another chance.
“Our decision wasn’t all about altruism though because we know we’re investing in our business by helping these young people achieve their qualifications, which means we’ll add more experience to our existing workforce, thereby enabling us to deploy more skilled people on an increasing number of contracts.”
Fourth year apprentice, Robert Jackson, of Fulwood, is delighted with the opportunity to complete his apprenticeship. He commented: “It was a shock to lose a job so close to qualifying, particularly in the current climate, so I’m really pleased that Ameon has given me and the others a chance. I’m older than the other apprentices, and have had my taste of university and world travel before settling on an apprenticeship, so I want to qualify because I’ve finally found something I really enjoy.
“Taking time to settle on a career path probably runs in the family, because my dad, Don, left his previous job and decided to go to university while in his mid-forties, to gain a degree in electrical engineering. That was his goal, and I think I can achieve mine with Ameon.”
In addition to trade apprenticeships, Ameon operates a management degree programme, in association with UCLAN, enabling participants to work and study simultaneously for their engineering degree. This means that at the time of graduation, individuals already have several years work/management experience to add to the academic study, which Ameon has found to be beneficial to both graduate and company.
