Workforce sustainability in practice

As Prior Power Solutions commits to 12 local students this summer; a mixture of work experience students from several Great-Yarmouth high schools and T-level students through UTCN and East Coast College, Managing Director James Rix explains why an investment of 16% of it’s workforce as students is so important:

People do business with people. Without people, businesses are nothing and that’s why we are taking a strategic approach to growing our skills base.

Starting mid-June until the end of July, students on placement with us will shadow engineers and participate in roles within our production/engineering, service, and parts departments. They will have exposure of fabrication, AUTOCAD design, diesel engine maintenance, service, and repairs. A pretty-good all-round introduction I’d say.

I can remember my own work experience and I’m sure you can too. Work experience placements are valuable ‘moments in time’ where we have the opportunity to influence a young person, show them the exciting range of careers that is available locally, help them to understand the world of work and how to interact face-to-face with a wide range of people on a daily basis and also give a taster of workplace culture.

It’s quite a responsibility when you think about it. Get it wrong and you may have put them off for life. But get it right… and a new workforce is enthusiastic about working with you and growing your business.

Although we have always supported young people through apprenticeships and work experience placements, this year represents a planned effort to increase our support and help as many local young people as we can gain real industry experience.

When we rebranded in 2020, we said it was ‘more than a name change’, it represented a wider culture change and broad embrace of sustainability. This summer we are practicing sustainability of our workforce for the long term.

Last year we were also able to support an intern through the Ogden Trust Coastal Energy Internship Partnership – an individual who now has full time employment in the industry in Great Yarmouth. It just shows that these initiatives are not just tick boxes or feel-good factors, they are things that really make a difference. A difference to the individual, to the host company, and to the local economy as a whole, because if we do not retain talent in this area and industry, there will be no future.

Committing to 12 students this summer is more than a number, it’s making a difference and it’s the best form of workforce sustainability I can think of.