Aligra

Swindon

Wes Seare

Branch Operations Manager

There’s not much you could teach Wes Seare about recruitment. As Branch Operations Manager of the Aligra recruitment consultancy in Swindon, he devotes his working life to helping others find the right person for the job.

So when he says that apprentices are just the thing for the progressive business to have, his opinion’s worth listening to.

“If you start apprentices off learning early, you can make them into the best tools for the business,” he says. “And being younger, they have a hell of a lot of energy, a willingness to learn, and an eagerness. They’re diamonds in the rough.”

To prove his point, Mr Seare points to Daniel Knapp, a business and administration apprentice who’s learning on the job as well as at New College in Swindon.

“It’s the first time we’ve had apprentices,” says Mr Seare. “In this day and age you can get a lot of consultants who are a bit wet behind the ears. But Daniel has been getting it right from day one.

“Apprenticeships give young people an opportunity and they become a great asset to the team. Daniel pretty much does everything from payroll to speaking to valuable clients. He can have conversations with anyone in any walk of life.

“The assessor from New College comes in every couple of weeks and is very supportive to us and to Daniel.

“Would I recommend apprenticeships? Without a doubt!”

As for Daniel himself, he’s happy to second that recommendation.

“I thought an apprenticeship would be a better option than to go full-time in a sixth-form or at college,” he says. “I can learn more skills, and I have a lot more life experience than some of my friends.

“I enjoy it, I meet new people, and I’m picking up new skills every day.”

New College Swindon