Employer Testimonial: Barlows Electrical

Today’s employer testimonial focuses on Barlows Electrical; an award-winning multi-disciplined specialist contractor providing a complete installation and maintenance service across the UK. David Barlow, Managing Director of Barlows Electrical, explains why the company’s ethos of developing young people is so important and has worked so well: “Back in 1980 when we first started we were a company of five people, now we employ 420 full-time staff, many of whom have been through the apprenticeship route supported by our own in-house training and Total People. “From the beginning, we knew that we wanted to be different, and the vast range of services that we’re able to provide has become our USP and led to our success and growth. We couldn’t have achieved this without our staff, and we couldn’t have moulded our staff to suit our business plan without the apprenticeship scheme. We deliver training in Cheshire, Shropshire and Greater Manchester and the opportunities available for our learners are immense. “Training for me is a holistic process; I don’t just look at the standards and qualifications that the young person needs to achieve, I look much wider at supporting the development of their social and cultural skills, and at their behaviour and mindset. This approach is fairly unusual in the industry, but the care and attention that we put into our apprentices has really paid off. We’re able to identify quite early on which learners may need additional support, and equally, we can recognise which learners may be destined for great things; many of our apprentices have progressed within the business and now hold senior roles. “I have a deep-seated commitment to our learners, and see it almost as a personal crusade to help develop strong, healthy secure young people, and equip them with the skills to build a bright and sustainable future.” We are delighted to work in partnership with Barlows Electrical, supporting the business and apprentices towards a brighter, better future. Thank you David for your ongoing support.