Extract from St Helens Chamber Comment Spring 2012 Magazine
Recruitment specialists GPW have seen one of their Apprentices named ‘Star Apprentice’ at the British Chambers of Commerce Annual Conference in Westminster.
21 year old Chris Kenny, who has been working at GPW Recruitment since 2010, was nominated by St Helens Chamber as their Star Apprentice following the positive impact he has made in his role at GPW.
Chris was presented with the award by Martyn Pellew, President of the British Chambers of Commerce, who invited Chris to talk about the positive impact his Apprenticeship has had on his career, in front of an audience of delegates including Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, Secretary of State for Business Innovation and Skills Vince Cable, Minister for Employment Chris Grayling, as well as a raft of business leaders, journalists and Chamber Members from across the country.
Chris said: “I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do before joining GPW and I even did joinery for a while. I love recruitment and it’s a job I never would have thought I’d be able to do.
“This Apprenticeship was fantastic because it took me out of my comfort zone and gave me new skills. By doing an Apprenticeship, it shows employers you are willing and able to work. It’s also a great opportunity for employers because they can mould an Apprentice to fit their needs and take you on for very little cost because of the help given.”
This is the second award win for Chris since working at GPW, being named Employee of the Month just a year after starting his Apprenticeship.
Managing Director Mark Parish explains: “The award is given to the top performing consultant in the whole group and is judged on the amount of money they generated for the company during that month.
“For a young man like Chris to win this award in a company that has been established for more than 38 years is an amazing achievement. It is also testament to the calibre of Apprentices.”
GPW Recruitment has been a long term supporter of the Apprenticeships, recruiting 8 Apprentices through the Chamber’s Apprenticeship programme in the last two years alone.
“The Apprentices we’ve had working for us have been like a breath of fresh air in the office and have been a great support to our consultants during what has been a very difficult time for the industry as a whole. Their enthusiasm is infectious. They are keen to learn and to prove themselves, which makes them very motivated.
“All they needed was an opportunity to show what they could do and that is the same for all of the Apprentices on the programme. These young people represent the future of this country. If local businesses support them now, we will all reap the benefits in the future.
“To see Chris recognised for his achievements and standing up to talk in front of such a prestigious audience was a very proud moment for both me and the company. He is a shining example of what our young people have to offer and the award was certainly deserved.”