“I first met George during a careers carousel.”
Waving his car paint spray gun in the air, Neil asked the students watching, “What do you think this is?” After a range of responses, Neil revealed it was one of the specialist tools he uses every day in his role working in the automotive repair industry.
After sharing his own career journey, Neil gave his honest advice:
“Learn a skill and you’ll never be out of work.” This resonated with quite a few of the pupils.
Not everyone wants to go to university and start a desk job. “Some students just want to work with their hands, build practical skills, and turn that into a career.”
One of those students was George.
“When Neil came in, it was the first time I properly paid attention.”
George had a good work ethic but, much like Neil, “wasn’t too academic.”
In many ways, their stories weren’t all that different. After advice from a careers adviser, Neil initially went into the travel industry, where he enjoyed a “fantastic” fifteen-year career. Like George, he’d always loved cars. Eventually, he made the bold decision to change direction, joining Cooper Barnes, a vehicle repair bodyshop specialising in restoring damaged vehicles. It didn’t take long for him to realise, “This is exactly what I want to do.”
Before the event, George had only been aware of the mechanical side, so when he heard Neil talking about a bodyshop, it opened up a part of the industry he didn’t know existed.
Their encounter came at the perfect time, with work experience week fast approaching, George asked if Cooper Barnes would consider taking him on.
“I was terrified, but everyone at Cooper Barnes was so supportive. It was the first time I’d ever been treated like an adult. Going from school to the working world felt like I was finally being respected as an equal.”
On the final day of his placement, Neil revealed that the team wanted George to return as an apprentice.
“Being able to impress the team enough to have me back felt great.”
Since starting the apprenticeship, one of the biggest differences for George has been having someone in his corner.
“Neil’s always made an effort to come chat to me and has been supportive throughout the entire thing.”
For Neil, the benefit of George’s apprenticeship has been mutual.
“He’s like a sponge, he just wants to learn. The feedback from his course has been sparkling. His work is completed on time, and the reports from the workshop are fantastic. It already feels like he’s been part of the team for years. If I could replicate George, I’d have another ten of him.”
Neil hopes more employers recognise the value of bringing on apprentices.
“If employers don’t see the benefit of giving an apprenticeship, then I think they’re missing a trick.”
The benefits of taking George on board have stretched far beyond him. Supporting someone at the start of their career has encouraged the team at Cooper Barnes to take a fresh look at the way they work.
“You have to revisit your first day and think about how you would want it explained to you. Going back to basics for both the apprentice and the mentor is a good thing.”
For Neil, that’s what makes apprenticeships so valuable. While George has gained new skills and confidence, the experience has also strengthened the team’s ability to not stay stagnant and develop alongside him.
But Neil believes the impact reaches even further than that. Without supporting the next generation, industries like automotive risk losing the workforce they rely on.
“If you don’t recruit and train the next generation, there won’t be anyone left to do the work. You must invest in young people to bring them forward, give them the skills and training.”
Ultimately, Neil believes it all comes down to opportunity.
“You were given an opportunity; I was given an opportunity, and it’s got us to where we are.”
For employers, it’s about recognising the potential that’s already there and utilising this.
“There’s a huge amount of talent out there, it’s just about tapping into it.”
With his apprenticeship well underway, George is already setting his sights on the future.
“I’m excited about completing my apprenticeship. I think the ultimate dream would be to own my own business. Something similar to Cooper Barnes. I think it would be really cool to know I’ve built it from the ground up.”
George may have found his path, but Neil knows many are still searching for theirs.
“If you don’t know what you want to do, that’s okay! You don’t have to have a defined career path. As long as you do your best, whether you go onto college, university or straight into the work. You will find your feet at some point.”
Stories like George’s begin with employers like Neil, willing to show up.
“We will always support Form the Future. I love doing presentations in schools, mock interviews, enterprise days… anything that will help them. All companies should get involved in the work Form the Future does.”
If your organisation could offer work experience or support young people in another way, we’d love to hear from you. Please contact our Head of Business Development, Gwen Bergius, at gbergius@formthefuture.org.uk or visit our partners page for more information.