National Apprenticeship Week 2021

This week is the 14th annual National Apprenticeship Week, a week to celebrate apprenticeships, learn about the work done by employers and apprentices, and to connect people and promote a mutually beneficial career pathway. Apprenticeships are a bringing together of learning and working. An apprentice works directly for a company to gain relevant skills and work experience whilst also working towards a formal qualification. These opportunities are great for apprentices and employers alike, providing an educational and experiential step into young people's working world. Apprentices tend to ask the question why? Why is this done in that way? These 'rebel' thoughts give the employer much food for thought - fresh perspectives can lead to innovation, efficiency improvements and a progressive culture. An apprentice is integral to a businesses growth. Statistics from The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills show that 72% of employers say apprentices improved their product and service quality, and 62% said that having apprentices was linked to higher productivity within the company. It shows that apprentices' presence is just as much a learning curve for companies. CMT supports apprenticeship programmes, with apprenticeship opportunities across the company at Diploma and NVQ level. Hear what some of our past and present apprentices have to say about their experience at CMT: George -Internal Account Manager "My apprenticeship with CMT allowed me to build not just on my skills in account management, but also to work as part as a team, gaining valuable skills in communication, and developing my ability to solve problems and deal with issues head-on. It set me up with transferrable skills and experience that I would otherwise not have had." Ella - Goods In and Stock Support "I started my apprenticeship in 2018 as soon as I finished school, with no previous experience in the workplace. Across my apprenticeship, I was able to embark in various roles across the company both in the warehouse and the office, expanding my skills and knowledge of the business & general working life. I was able to grow, myself, alongside the ever-growing business at CMT. The continued support at CMT enables me to progress with my career and be a part of a brilliant team, where every day is different! I thoroughly enjoyed my experience and would highly recommend apprenticeships to anyone who wants to kick-start their career and learn & earn along the way." Aggrey - Current Digital Marketing Apprentice "Having held a longstanding interest in Digital Marketing, it has been a goal of mine to establish a career for myself in this field. The question for me was always what's the best way to do so. Learning about SEO, SEM and even Website Optimisation independently gave me a good foundation of knowledge, but I required the experience to prove that I could succeed in this role, which is why I chose to apply and participate in an apprenticeship. As a Website Administrator, my role is to maintain and improve the website under the guidance of the Marketing Manager, having been assigned projects relating to updating the assigned keywords for products (SEO) or even improving the appearance of search results on the website, I feel that I have already gained so much useful experience in the short time I have been with CMT." Nina -Current Digital Marketing Apprentice "This apprenticeship provides many benefits for me, such as gathering experience and skills in a workplace environment. Being able to work and communicate in a team, in addition to moving forward in my career path through developing my creative abilities and professional skills, makes this option invaluable." Rio - Current Digital Marketing Apprentice "I decided to take an apprenticeship because it was the best way to get my foot in the door for Graphic design and marketing related work. After I left school, I decided to steer away from university, as studying for long periods alongside the end of term exams was not for me. On the other hand, an apprenticeship allows me to put my current skillset into practice whilst also learning new skills."