Financial planning firm Old Mill has joined a regional apprenticeship scheme to help bring new talent into the financial services industry.
Old Mill has joined the South West Apprenticeship Ambassador Network, whose aim is to engage businesses in the south-west to commit to running apprenticeships and to inspire young people in the region to choose apprenticeships.
Swaan has 85 members including Old Mill - others include Hargreaves Lansdown, Wessex Water and Thatchers - and they come together to share good practice in apprenticeship delivery, to learn from each other and to develop new ideas for attracting, retaining and growing their individual apprenticeship programmes.
According to Ian Carlson, managing director at Old Mill, which as well as Melksham also has offices in Wells, Exeter and Yeovil - believes the key to providing clients with outstanding service was to recruit and retain people with the same energy and ambition.
He said this was where Old Mill’s apprenticeship programme comes in, as up to a third of those employed in Old Mill are working towards a professional qualification at any one time, with apprentices making up a significant part of this number. Ten of these apprentices are pictured, above.
Mr Carlson said: "We work across a wide range of sectors, with a broad client portfolio. Our clients are ambitious, energetic businesses and individuals, and the key to providing them with outstanding service is to recruit and retain fantastic people with the same energy and ambition.
"And this is where the apprenticeship programme helps us immensely.” He added that up to a third of those employed in Old Mill are working towards a professional qualification at any one time, with apprentices making up a significant part of this number.
Another part of Swaan is the Young Apprentice Ambassador Network, which is a community of current and graduate apprentices who are proud of their apprenticeship experience and want to inspire others.
These young apprentice ambassadors promote apprenticeships to young people in the area by advocating the range of subjects, benefits, progression routes and career opportunities these provide.
Mr Carlson added: “We have a very successful apprenticeship programme at Old Mill, and will be looking to encourage our apprentices to become Young Apprentice Ambassadors, as we feel it is those that have been part of a successful scheme themselves who are best placed to demonstrate to others the benefits of apprenticeships in the region to businesses, individuals and the wider community.”
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