City Link seeks new recruits Words: Laura Hailstone FOLLOWING THE
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success of its inhouse apprenticeship programme, City Link is rolling out the 12-month scheme to 80 new recruits, aged 18-25, from September. To date, 146 existing employees at the express parcel carrier, from frontline staff through to potential managers, have completed the programme The apprentices have worked towards NVO qualifications, Level 2 for drivers and warehouse staff, and Level 3 for managers, with training provided by City Link's internal training team. All of the course materials are linked to the company's business needs.
"We are excited about our apprenticeship scheme, which will build the capability of the business and give employees the opportunity to progress their careers," said human resources director Scott Maynard. "To have such a high completion rate is fantastic and we're excited about the plans to extend the scheme to schooland college-leavers this year. It's important to give youngsters a chance to get on the career ladder."
Much of the training takes place on the job, with warehousing and distribution apprentices going out with a driver and working a nightshift at the central hub in Coventry to get a flavour of how their own roles have an impact on other parts of City Link's operation.
The warehousing and distribution NVO includes health and safety, picking and moving goods, checking stock levels and supervising the receipt, storage and dispatch of goods.
The NVO Level 3 in leadership and management is more classroom-based. On top of the basic modules around leadership, coaching, self-management, working with others and commercial awareness, apprentices work on their own development plan and prepare a coaching plan to help develop their own team.
Maynard said City Link believes the scheme is "unique in the sector" and demonstrates its continued commitment to invest in "our people".