Just three months left to benefit from free apprenticeship support and training
Established in 2003 as the service division of Diffusion Group – a leading UK heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) manufacturer – Evotech has now grown to become a nationwide provider of technical maintenance solutions and compliance services.
The company, which is based in Elland, Huddersfield, has a long history of recruiting apprentices in specialist electrician roles, and has experienced first-hand the immense benefits that come from bringing in fresh talent and supporting apprentices to grow with the business.
So, when Evotech realised that its helpdesk needed more hands on deck to support its growth, the HR team thought what better way to fill this gap than with an apprentice?
On the hunt for a local partner to help the business introduce a brand-new apprenticeship in an area that it hadn’t before, Evotech got in touch with Calderdale College. The two worked together to create a job description and advert, helping Evotech recruit for its first ever Customer Service Apprentice, Dominic.
It was a huge success, and Dominic is now employed with the business full-time as a Customer Service Coordinator.
Continuing to grow, the business yet again needed more support on the helpdesk, so decided to hire another Customer Service Apprentice in 2021. Shannan initially enrolled onto a Level 2 apprenticeship, and, thanks to the support of Calderdale College, has now progressed onto her Level 3.
On introducing apprentices into the business, Ivy Malinowska, HR Coordinator at Evotech, commented: “Over the years, we’ve seen first-hand the positive impact that having apprentices in a business can have, for both the business in terms of gaining valuable skills, and for the apprentice in beginning their career journey. At Evotech, we’ve found that our apprentices are really motivated and are keen to bring in fresh, new ideas, which is always a pleasure!
“I joined the company in 2019 and played a role in recruiting for Shannan. It felt daunting at first as it can seem a difficult process to get your head around, especially if, like me, you haven’t hired for an apprentice before, but Calderdale College and its expert team made it so easy for us. Don’t let the process put you off, because help really is on hand, so make sure to take advantage of that support, as it’s worth the rewards.”
Through discussing apprenticeship options with the College, Ivy has since signed up to complete a Level 5 apprenticeship herself, to further her HR expertise. Ivy said: “I had been wanting to take more training and it came up in conversation with the College that they offer higher-level apprenticeships. I was really surprised! I asked, ‘am I not too old at the age of 40?!’. It just proves that you can be any age to take an apprenticeship and I’m really enjoying the process so far.”
Ivy has also taken advantage of the free Level 3 Mental Health First Aid training available through Calderdale College’s Collaborative Apprenticeships project, which aims to improve the quality, and increase the quantity of apprenticeships across the area. On the training, Ivy said: “Mental health is something I think is very important for businesses to be aware of and I’m interested in learning more about it, so when I heard about free training to become a Mental Health First Aider, I jumped at the chance.”
Evotech now has plans to recruit for another Customer Service Apprentice with Calderdale College to continue to support its busy helpdesk.
On working with Evotech, Melissa Hart, Employer Engagement Team Leader and Apprenticeship Levy Manager at Calderdale College, said: “Evotech is a shining example of a business in the region where apprenticeships have added so much value. Dominic and Shannan have brought in an incredible energy and enthusiasm to the team, all whilst sharing what they’ve learnt in college with their colleagues, whereas Ivy is able to use her apprenticeship to really strengthen and further develop her skills whilst mid-way through her own career journey. We’d urge other employers wanting to inject new skills and build on existing ones, to get in touch to find out how we can help.”
Collaborative Apprenticeships is managed by the West Yorkshire Consortium of Colleges (WYCC) and funded by the European Social Fund (ESF). Calderdale College is supporting the delivery of the project in partnership with local employers and training providers.
For more information on the apprenticeship support available through Calderdale College’s Collaborative Apprenticeships project, email apprenticeships@calderdale.com, or visit: https://www.calderdale.ac.uk/category/collaborative-apprenticeships/.
