National Apprenticeship Week: Why Elliotts Apprentices Are Our Future
Elliotts was founded in 1842, that's 181 years of creating strong relationships with our customers, building loyalty, and supplying anything they need to help them build.
We wouldn't be who we are or where we are without our incredible teams, and in 2017 we relaunched our apprenticeship scheme in order to attract new and eager individuals who wanted to learn and help grow the business.
It's so important to us that our teams across the business can support our customers with absolutely anything they need, providing knowledge and expertise in every area resulting in confidence from customers that we'll help them deliver a successful build.
Over the last 5 years we've supported 44 apprentices, with 10 still currently working through their apprenticeships, and 19 candidates starting as an apprentice and now working for us full time, we'd like to introduce you to some of our biggest success stories.
Karam Potiwal, Sales Consultant
Karam joined the business in 2017 taking on our Level 2 Customer Service apprenticeship, and after 12 months and successful completion she is now working a full time role as a Sales Consultant for our Sales Hub specialising specifically in Timber.
Upon completing her apprenticeship, Karam had made such a good impression, demonstrating an incredible
work ethic and a range of capabilities that went above and beyond, that the Sales Hub wanted her on their team.
We spoke to Karam about her apprenticeship and here's what she had to say...
Why did you choose an Elliotts apprenticeship?
I was 16 and had just finished school, all I knew was that I wanted a job working in Customer Service. I saw the Elliotts apprenticeship, and it looked like it ticked a lot of boxes for me, so I thought why not!
What did you enjoy the most about your apprenticeship?
I love how varied it was, I experienced every part of the business, from working in each department in the Sales Hub, to spending time in all of the branches, going out to sites with Account Managers, as well as even working in the marketing team!
I was able to see how everyone works, and I was able to learn so much, it was the best, it has benefited me so much.
I really do feel very lucky, I love everyone I've worked with, the people at Elliotts are great, everyone supported me, it was so motivating to have every team member in every department encourage me throughout my apprenticeship, and they still do to this day in my full time role.
What's your advice to anyone thinking of applying for an apprenticeship at Elliotts?
Just be eager to learn everything you can, take everything in, there's something new every day, don't be scared to ask questions or work in certain departments because everyone is amazing.
I went into my apprenticeship knowing nothing about the industry, and really nervous about whether it would be a good fit, but the more I learnt and the more time I spent with the team, I came to love everything about Elliotts!
Ed Briggs, Level 4 Sales Executive
Ed joined Elliotts in November 2022, and is based in the Sales Hub at our Southampton branch.
He is currently working through our Level 4 Sales Executive apprenticeship, where he is building knowledge of the business and products, identifying customer needs, and more.
Ed has most recently been placed into our Bricks & Blocks team, helping customers with smaller, self build projects to large development sites.
We sat down with Ed and asked him about his apprenticeship so far...
Why did you choose an Elliotts apprenticeship?
I used to work on-site, where Elliotts was one of the suppliers. During this time, I developed a great impression of the company, and I enjoyed the professional relationship.
However, circumstances led to a decision to stop working on-site, mostly due to injuries. But despite this, I didn't want to completely distance myself from the building industry, so it seemed like a good fit.
What are you enjoying the most about your apprenticeship?
The type of work involved is constantly changing, with new challenges and tasks regularly coming up, so I find everything really interesting.
Building relationships with both suppliers and customers is also a great part of the role as it allows me to use the experience and expertise I've built up during my years on-site.
What's your advice to anyone thinking of applying for an apprenticeship at Elliotts?
Everyone is so supportive and there's always someone who can help, so don't worry if you have a lot of questions.
You'll need to take a lot of notes though, and learn new systems, so definitely make sure that you're willing and dedicated.
For more information on Elliotts and to find out about our current apprenticeship opportunities, visit our careers page.
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