Managing Director - Matthew Perks

Bamfords are a medium sized, family run business, with over 30 years' experience, employing 50 people. They specialise in plumbing, heating and electrical, installations, services and beyond.

 7 in total across carpentry, electrical, plumbing & bricklaying.

All our apprentices start on a level 2. Plumbing and electrical would also require level 3 training to gain a wider skill set.

We have been lucky to recruit our apprentices from them coming to us for work experience whilst at school. Occasionally we have local colleges call and they can come to us via that route.

It is a mix between us and a company called JTL who fund the college courses. They help thousands of people to become apprentices whilst also supporting, advising and funding businesses to provide apprenticeships. Click here to view more.

This depends on the individual, if they require further support with ICT/ Maths/English during their apprenticeship as well as doing college coursework, we would allocate 2-3 days. Whereas someone only doing the coursework element would have 1-2 days for their learning.

All of our apprentices have been successful and gone on to full time employment with us at the end of their course.

Absolutely, we have had some of our tradespeople go on to have a successful careers with us as Senior Engineers. We have also had apprentices who have gone on to have their own successful businesses too - a plumbing & heating engineer who went on to have his own company now contracts for us which is great! One apprentice made it to the finals of ‘National Apprentice of the Year’ which we were super proud of.

We have a massive skills shortage in the UK, so I believe all businesses have a responsibility to help to further the education of others and close the skills gap.

I also came into the industry as an apprentice as well as others around me, that was my route in and so I want to support others in the same way.