Joineryworkshop.com is embarking on an ambitious apprenticeship scheme following a successful Apprentice Open Assessment day.
The Stockport headquartered business, which provides restoration, double glazing and replacement of sash and casement windows to period properties, is looking to expand its team of specialist joiners. The sensitive and painstaking task of period property, listed building and conservation area joinery restoration requires patience, attention to detail and precise skill. Joineryworkshop.com has a growing order book and is keen to attract, train and retain its own in-house talent pool to meet the demands of the business.
More than 30 potential candidates were invited to an Apprentice Open Assessment day at the joineryworkshop.com offices on 10th January 2017. They heard presentations from senior management, an apprentice who has gone through the system and two local colleges about their joinery courses. They were given a problem-solving test to gauge their aptitude and they had one-to-one meetings with joineryworkshop.com’s site manager and production manager.
The standard of candidate was extremely high. Four apprentices were selected who, it was felt, were the best fit for the business and would succeed and become an integral part of the company in the future.
Two apprentices were taken on in late 2016, with this further four recruited in January 2017. The aim is to bring a cohort of highly skilled apprentices through the company together.
With a carefully structured two-year programme of training, the new apprentices will each be given six months extensive training in the four main skill areas of the business:
Bench joinery – all aspects from cutting the rough timber into shape, measuring angles and cutting joints through to putting the whole window together.
Finishing – putting the final touches to timber that has been through the bench joinery. Includes preserving and priming, measuring and fitting glazing bars, dry and wet glazing, picking accessories as ordered, preparing for transport and sometimes even delivering to site.
Site joinery – from removing old window frames to refurbishing old windows to installing completely new windows and adjusting them on site to fit and work properly.
Painting – skilled painting especially of sash windows (there is a skill to ensuring they aren’t painted shut!), making sure the finished windows enhance the final appearance of the windows and protect the timber from the weather.
They will be given specific tasks to be able to complete at the end of each period so they, and the company, can see their progress. There will also be regular review dates, meetings with their managers and specific training days to add to their skills.
As part of the programme, the apprentices will attend college one day a week to enhance their skills and achieve a NVQ Level 2 qualification in either site joinery or bench joinery (the apprentice can choose which they prefer).
The hope is that the apprentices will be invaluable to the company as they progress as they will be able to adapt to the varying needs of the business – as an area needs more support, they will be able to turn their hands to whichever department of the company needs them.
The new recruits will start training on Friday 3rd February at 7.00am with an introduction to the company, its health and safety practises and a meeting with their new mentors. They will then have the weekend to rest, ready to start their new careers on the following Monday!