A CONSTRUCTION chief believes the apprenticeship model is “back in fashion” – and feels the future of the sector is in good hands because of it.

Kevin Byrne is Managing Director at Seymour Civil Engineering, and has worked his way to the top having started off at the other end of the ladder.
Kevin, who has spent 27 years at Seymour, has seen steady stream of apprentices work their way through the ranks at his firm and says they form a key part of his team.
Kevin, who moved the North East specialist to a new headquarters at Hartlepool Marina earlier this year, said: “The whole issue around apprenticeships is very interesting.
“I think there has been a sea change. People are getting to the crossroads of further education and giving it some serious consideration rather than going to university.
“Different people have different beliefs, but I think that a degree is nowhere near as valuable as it used to be. Why fund an expensive university degree – and pick up the debt at the end of it – when you can come straight into an organisation like ourselves, get on the job training and earn a professional qualification at the end of it?
“Graduates are equipped for later life rather than the here and now, whereas apprentices have to learn quickly and within a couple of years they have been given a headstart.”
Kevin thinks industry in general could be in a better position in the future if employers adopt the approach used by the likes of Germany. And he welcomes schemes such as National Apprenticeship Week to help spread the word about the benefits of apprenticeships.
He added: “There was a big drive into IT in the 1990s when the recession hit. All of a sudden, it wasn’t credible to be a standard plumber or an electrician anymore, and everyone was pushed towards technology.
“That, in my view, was the biggest political mistake this country ever made. If you look at somewhere like Germany, there is a model in place. People start on the shop floor, there is a mutual respect and appreciation and doors open along the way to allow them to progress. You will find that a lot of people in the senior positions up at the top have worked their way up from the very bottom.
“But now, back in our country, it seems to be coming back into fashion. As I said, the financial aspect plays a big part. But employers are becoming more receptive now, they can see the benefits.
“If that continues, and I don’t see any reason why it shouldn’t, then I think it benefits everyone. Campaigns like National Apprenticeship Week highlight the opportunities which are available to businesses and students, and I think that is very positive.
“From my own point of view, at Seymour if we get an apprentice through the door then they learn from their very first day. They know the Seymour way, and pick up the good habits. It’s easier to give someone good habits than to try and take the bad habits they’ve learned away from them.
“The other positive for me is that we are recognised as a local company, and we feel we have a responsibility to help people. The biggest asset to our business is our team, and the apprentices we have are a key part of that team.”
Seymour is recognised as one of the North East’s leading civil engineering businesses, and employs a workforce in excess of 230 throughout the region.
The firm specialises in drainage, urban renewal projects, restoration and development work as well as sea defence and coastal protection work.