by Joe Jeffrey
Salop Leisure embraces local apprenticeship scheme
Award winning caravan and motorhome dealership Salop Leisure has announced its support for the Ladder for Shropshire, a multi-organisation campaign to promote apprenticeships.
The Shrewsbury-based company, which also has sales centres in Stourport-on-Severn and Machynlleth, employs six apprentice caravan engineers, including recently recruited Connor Hodnett, 16, from Wolverhampton.
He joins Connor Sale, 19, from Pontesbury and Josh Roberts, 20, from Shrewsbury in taking a level two apprenticeship while Jack Clarke, 21, Tom Hancock, 21, Daniel Taylor, 20 and Ashley Lutwyche, 19, have progressed to a level three apprenticeship.
The man guiding them is experienced after sales manager Viv Jones, who began his career as an apprentice mechanic in Shrewsbury in March 1960.
A perfect example of the value of apprenticeships, Jones went on to become workshop manager, service manager, general manager and franchise director of Jaguar dealerships in Shrewsbury and Bristol.
Persuaded to come out of retirement to join Salop Leisure, he has overseen the huge growth of the company’s workshops, which has included a recent five-bay extension. Workshop staff have increased from five to 25 during his time with the business, which is now recognised as one of the leading servicing and accident repair centres in the UK.
“Salop Leisure is a strong supporter of apprenticeships and providing opportunities for young people to join the business because they represent the future,” said Mr Jones. “The company believes in growing its own people and I am particularly interested in developing qualified engineers because there is a shortage of people with the skills we need.
“Investment in training is definitely worthwhile; it’s an investment in the future of your business.”
Connor Hodnett said: “I think apprenticeships are better than going to college because you earn while I learn. My aim is to go as far as I can in the company.”
Josh, who has been with the company for a year, said he dropped out of college to join the company and looked forward to becoming a fully qualified engineer.
Connor Sales, who joined the company in July last year, said the apprenticeship was much better than he had expected and saw his future career working in the bodyshop on repairs.
Salop Leisure’s chairman Tony Bywater pledged his support for the Ladder for Shropshire campaign. “It has always been the company’s policy to bring young people into the business when they leave school and to offer them apprenticeship opportunities,” he said.
“Many of the young people we have employed over the years have progressed into very responsible positions to take our business forward and we are proud that they have also developed into good citizens.”
