Hiring an apprentice can be hugely beneficial for both the individual and the business – just ask John McNally.
John, owner of Aylesbury vehicle maintenance and bodywork specialist TP Smart Repairs, puts apprentices at the heart of his company and strongly believes the firm would not be the thriving business it is today without them.
“By training an apprentice from the start you are teaching them the processes, procedures and how the quality of the repair needs to be done which is a massive benefit for the business,” he says. “You need to put the time and effort in to make sure these people are your future.”
Building a career path
Having trained as an apprentice himself, John quickly built a career in the motor trade, eventually becoming managing director of three Volkswagen sites before setting up TP Smart Repairs in 2020 with his former apprentice, Tommy Phillips. It now has 16 staff including four apprentices.
Ruby’s journey: from work experience to apprenticeship at TP Smart Repairs
One of TP Smart Repairs' newest apprentices came to them through a valuable project run by Buckinghamshire Skills Hub, in collaboration with partners.
Orchard House SEMH Provision in Chesham, part of the Aspire Schools group, empowers children with social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs to flourish in their academic, personal and social learning. Buckinghamshire Skills Hub worked with Aspire to run a project as part of the funded ASK (Apprenticeship Support and Knowledge) Development School programme, which provides bespoke, intensive support for disadvantaged or underrepresented cohorts in England to help students facing barriers progress onto the apprenticeship pathway.
TP Smart Repairs offered to be one of the employers supporting the project, whose aim was to provide impactful work experience to a few students attending the Aspire schools, with a possibility that an apprenticeship might be offered if both the employer and the young person worked well together.
Staff at Orchard House identified Ruby as being a student likely to benefit from taking part in the project. The aim was to introduce Ruby to the work environment gradually, one day a week for several weeks. She quickly settled in after starting with TP Smart Repairs in July 2024 and requested to work more days during the school summer break. Only two months later, Ruby had commenced her apprenticeship as a Vehicle Maintenance Technician, spending three days per week at West Herts College studying Level 1 Light Vehicle Maintenance. Ruby is also resitting her Maths and English GCSEs in order to jump up to the Level 3 Diploma the following year. To top it all off, she recently achieved a Distinction in her Welding module at college.
A tough journey with a rewarding destination
When speaking with Ruby, it is clear she is ambitious, setting her sights on a career in Formula 1. “I’ve always been in to cars," Ruby explains. "I went to lots of car shows with my dad when I was little”.
But her journey to this point has been anything but easy, involving Covid, caring responsibilities, parental bereavement, anxiety and depression. Ruby left Orchard House with no GCSE passes, and when the opportunity to work with TP Smart Repairs came up, she decided to give herself a stern talking to.
One person who could see how much this opportunity meant to Ruby was Tracey from Aspire Schools, so much so that she drove Ruby to Aylesbury each day that she undertook her apprenticeship placement at TP Smart Repairs' premises. “What a positive outcome for one of our students," said Tracey. "Ruby is over the moon! I want to thank Buckinghamshire Skills Hub for putting us in touch with such a supportive and understanding employer. TP Smart Repairs have been great from our first meeting.”
An asset to the team
John McNally, Managing Director at TP Smart Repairs, said: “We’re delighted to be able to offer Ruby an apprenticeship. She is proving to be an asset to the team. We completely see the value in supporting young people who are disadvantaged into the world of work. Win-win!”
Marina Jackson, U19s Manager of Buckinghamshire Skills Hub, said: “It’s great to see how the team’s hard work delivering the ASK Development School project has made such a difference to the life of a young person. It’s successes such as this for Ruby which keep us striving to deliver more positive impact for the young people of Buckinghamshire.”
Callum's journey: staggering transformation of at-risk student who found his superpower
Another of TP Smart repairs most recent recruits is 17-year-old Callum May, who was put in touch with the company through the Buckinghamshire Skills Hub team and Mandeville School in Aylesbury. This was led by Julia Bond, Buckinghamshire Skills Hub Employer Engagement and Enterprise Coordinator.
Callum, who has ADHD, was at risk of dropping out of education with few qualifications, could potentially get in trouble with the police and needed direction. Julia set up a meeting with Callum, his teacher, his mother and John and Tommy from TP Smart Repairs and he started a work experience programme with the company. The team could immediately see he was interested in working with cars and had the right attitude. Julia explains: “Callum started on two days a week which quickly became four days and after two months he started his apprenticeship as a body panel beater with the Thatcham Research Automotive Academy employed as the training provider.”
The apprenticeship process
Callum attends the academy on block release for a week at a time with TP Smart Repairs paying for accommodation and living expenses and as well as learning about the motor trade, he has picked up functional skills in English and Maths. Back at the workshop, Callum is mentored by a recent former apprentice.
John said: “I asked Callum what he would say if he returned to Mandeville School and spoke to students who find themselves in a similar situation. He explained that he has two younger siblings at home and could see that being a positive role model to them was one of the most important things he could do. He agreed he’d been walking a tightrope, and his future could have tipped either way. He knew he owed a massive debt of gratitude to his mother for pushing him towards the opportunity and also to Maggie Brunt, Careers Leader at Mandeville School, for picking up the phone to me. Obviously I never met the 'before' Callum, but I suspect those that have would be staggered by the transformation in such a short period of time. He is a very pleasant, articulate young person who made eye contact and spoke enthusiastically.”
Embracing challenges positively
In fact, John, who is dyslexic, could see a lot of himself in Callum who has already set his sights on running his own business one day. “As a dyslexic person I wasn't very good at school - I struggled with reading and writing. I started my career as an apprentice mechanic and qualified as a master technician. When you have dyslexia, you look at things in a different way, but I found it to be a superpower. I understood Callum suffered from ADHD so I explained my dyslexia to him and said he could make a difference by finding his superpower.
“After the second week of him working with us, his mentor came to me and said he’d never met a kid like him. He’s polite and focuses on a task until the job is done - that's his superpower, which is fantastic for any business. I want to provide people like Callum with the opportunity to learn a trade and develop a purpose and real prospects in life. Aside from the benefits this creates for the business, this is why I became involved with apprenticeships.”
Apprenticeships are a way of growing your business
The apprenticeship programme is also a way of growing the team organically, overcoming recruitment issues.
John explains: “Training apprentices eliminates substantial recruitment fees and is great for quality control. We look after our apprentices like family and that breeds loyalty. It provides them with a solid future, a career and a path to future success. Some of our apprentices like Callum wouldn't have had any other opportunity.”
TP Smart Repairs is now in the process of hiring an apprentice for front of house and is seeking others to work as vehicle damage assessors as it expands.
John says: “I’m looking to buy a 25,000 sq ft workshop and sublet parts to other auto businesses. They will have units at a reduced price on the condition they employ an apprentice. I would also like to create an apprentice training centre. A lot of businesses are scared of taking on apprentices as they believe there’s too much paperwork and takes too much time but it’s actually an easy process.”
Where to find the right support
John Browning, Local Skills Improvement Plan Manager at Buckinghamshire Business First, adds: “John, Tommy and the TP Smart Repairs team are an outstanding example of how apprentices can be of huge benefit to a business as well as the young people involved.
“We are there to support companies and can help find the right candidates for the job, so we would urge anyone interested to get in touch with Buckinghamshire Business First.”
Want to learn more about hiring an apprentice?
Contact our Business Support Team to get more information. Email BusinessSupport@bbf.uk.com or call 01494 927130.