Bensons for Beds have launched a practical apprenticeship scheme with WEBS Training, looking for the future managers of the business to enter the organisation at grass-roots level. We found out more.
The Bensons Scheme
Despite the apprenticeship being a relatively low Level 2, this is part of a long-term rising star initiative.
The vision is to give apprentices a full understanding of the product and how it’s made, which can then be used to inform them in their future roles as they progress within Bensons. The scheme also provides baseline knowledge of all areas of the business – such as product, processes, and industry – to see what sparks interest in the apprentices and where they would like to progress next.
The materials unit? Let’s see how that could move into a procurement, development, or sustainability role. And for the Organisation [business] and Customer units – this could feed into a commercial role. Quality and Output units – this may identify the next QA or managers in lean manufacturing.
Andy Warren, Continuous Development Manager at Bensons for Beds, has a refreshing and inspiring take on apprenticeships and the opportunities they can create. “We are recruiting for the long term – many of our team have been at Bensons for over 30 years.
“We want to train more than just at operative level – this is about promoting a culture of development and also, – very importantly, – to show our management structure is accessible to all.”
Meet the Group
Dani and India are both examples of this accessible structure, both joining the scheme from their roles as Production Operatives. Josh was recruited externally after seeing the role advertised during a session on what to do after sixth form.
“The Apprenticeship Lead held talks at team meetings so everyone was aware of the programme, there was a follow up meeting with more information for those who were interested and then we applied,” Dani said. “I enjoy my job and want to move up, I didn’t want to be in the same role forever.”
Josh shared his view: “I wasn’t sure specifically what I wanted to do, but I knew I didn’t want to go to university – I liked the idea of being able to learn and earn, where the Bensons scheme was hands on and paid well for an apprenticeship. My interview was with multiple managers and included a tour, so it seemed like a really good opportunity.”
India added: “I found it a lot easier as I already had some experience. I was a lot more comfortable too as I knew people around, so whatever the department I was training in there was always a familiar face.”
Empowerment Projects
As part of Andy’s mission to provide not just another apprenticeship, he was keen to give the apprentices a project where they would have to work together and push themselves. For this group, it was to develop and set up an area of the factory for headboard manufacture. They were empowered to make key decisions on how to map the floor, design workstations to improve production efficiency, and create quality compliance guidelines.
Dani said: “Andy and Phil were really supportive of the project, we would speak to different managers and departments to get advice, but we were allowed to make decisions The headboard department is now in operation, recently achieving their highest daily output to date.”
Josh added: “The place started as a mess, and I didn’t enjoy the cleaning and painting! But seeing what we had designed made me so proud.”
India was equally as proud. “We were all so proud to see the department when it was finished and seeing it in action – it was like “WE DID THAT!”
Train the Trainer
As part of last month’s National Apprenticeship Week, a training session was turned on its head by having the Benson learners train their WEBS training officer, Joseph Bryan, on one of the headboard models made in the new headboard department developed by the apprentices!
India reflected: “It was nice to show what we’ve learned – and good to show we can be responsible for showing someone new,” while Josh added: “It felt good when I picked up one of the errors – you realise you’ve learned things that you don’t even remember learning!” Dani also commented: “It made me feel confident that not only can I do it myself, but I am also good enough to show someone else.”
Scheme Success
The group all gained valuable new skills as well as a deeper insight into Bensons. Each member shares a final thought on the scheme and why apprenticeships are an important route into a future career.
“I have gained so much insight into the business and gained new skills,” India said. “The biggest thing for me is that it has built my confidence. At the beginning of the course, I was anxious about asking questions and talking to other departments, but now I feel a lot better about going out of my comfort zone and feel happier talking to everyone – maybe talking too much! I now want to do New Product Development – I would love to see my designs being made and sold.”
As for Dani, she said: “I really recommend apprenticeships to anyone – they are like a second chance at everything. Even if you didn’t do well at school, you still have a chance with an apprenticeship. WEBS have supported me with my Maths and English too. Looking ahead, I want to go into the Quality Department – I have already been supporting a higher-level apprentice with one of their projects in their course, and it’s definitely the area I want to move into next.”
Josh concluded: “I’d like to learn more about Business Improvement – I’m not sure whether I want my focus to be on manufacturing or maybe get more experience in more commercial areas – we will wait and see!”
