A partnership with the college and a local firm has seen record numbers of apprentices being taken on in the last four years.
Ceetech Ltd, based in Bramford have worked with 22 people on this pathway in 48 months, thanks to the support and courses offered by Suffolk New College.
(Suffolk New College currently supports around 850 people through apprenticeships).
And Ceetech Ltd – an electrical and mechanical specialist – is keen to keep investing in this programme, giving people of all ages and backgrounds the skills they need to progress in life and work, in industries that are currently suffering real skills shortages.
The Ceetech link up with the college is partly in thanks to the fact that one of the senior figures in the company, Director Steve Attle, studied on an apprenticeship with the then Suffolk College back in the eighties.
Joint managing director Luke Ashton – also values this educational option, having studied on an apprenticeship in Norfolk whilst living there as a teenager.
And Mr Ashton is keen to champion these qualifications and also get the message out to others that working with your local college and community can bring huge value to your business.
He said: “We are an Ipswich based company working with Suffolk New College because we are part of our local economy, and see the value in supporting local colleges.
“We want to support local wherever we can – we use local suppliers, subcontractors and wholesalers, and we want to employ and develop talent from the region. Supporting our local community is in our DNA.
“We currently have 22 electrical and mechanical apprentices through Suffolk New College.
“Taking on apprentices is absolutely key to the continued success of our business. We train them well, invest in them throughout their apprenticeship journey – and when they finish their apprenticeship, they stay with us to continue their development and their own investment within the business.”
Growing up, Mr Ashton committed to this route that has seen him rise through the industry, and now he is in charge of a £30million organisation that employs 104 people.
He continued: “I started off as an electrician’s mate – working with my father – then I put myself through college – so I’m invested in taking on people from a young age.
“Whilst we have a focus on young people, we also take on mature students who want a change of career.
“We are renowned for our apprenticeship programme. It’s all about making people better, and there is a huge labour shortage out there at the moment – so we will continue to invest in apprentices. If you invest in your workforce, they will invest in you.”
Whilst there is a skills shortage, Mr Ashton feels that sometimes the construction industry undersells itself. He said: Construction is a good industry, it’s well-paid and it’s future proof.
“It’s always going to be there, and it’s never going to go away. Other than professions, for example, such as medicine and law, construction is one of the best paid and rewarding professions in the UK, so why wouldn’t you want to get into it? I’m very enthusiastic about it.”
In terms of the relationship with the college, Mr Ashton continued. “It’s a good relationship – the college works well with construction as a whole.
“We attend events and support the college as much as we can. If anyone from the college wants to come here, they are always very welcome.”
Mr Ashton’s colleague, Steve Attle, who also oversees the company’s apprentices and champions their contribution, highlighted the importance of strong training pathways.
Mr Attle said: “I came through Suffolk College myself and worked my way up, and many of our project managers have followed the same path. The facilities have come a long way since my time there, but its core value hasn’t changed; it continues to play a vital role in developing the next generation.”
“While the wider industry continues to face significant recruitment challenges, we’re still seeing strong interest. Last year, when we opened applications for our apprenticeship scheme, we received around 100 submissions, and this year we’re on track for a similar level of demand.”
“I don’t see why there should be a skills shortage in the sectors we work in. You can build a good career, earn well, and enjoy an excellent standard of living. My message is simple: apprentices are the future of construction. We’re proud to bring so many people into the industry, and we have a strong relationship with the college at every level.”
One of the apprentices to come up through the ranks is Luke Allen, 32, from Ipswich. Luke is an electrical supervisor who trained with Suffolk New College. He won the Electrical Apprentice of the Year at the college awards back in 2023.
Mr Allen said: “I enjoyed my apprenticeship – everyone was very supportive. My experience at the college was good – we had a great bunch of assessors, and it was very smooth. Now I’m looking forward to the future and seeing what that brings.”
Daniel King is the Director of Apprenticeships at Suffolk New College. He said: “We are very grateful to Ceetech Ltd for trusting us to work with them and we can’t wait to build on the strong relationship we have created, expand on it and support them in their mission of becoming THE place to come in terms of electrical and mechanical contracting in this region.”