Choosing to employ an apprentice from Nescot can be an attractive and highly cost-effective staffing option for your business, helping to develop the skills you and your industry need to ensure future success.

One businesswoman who can testify to how successful the relationship can be is Barbara McNaughton whose Oxted hair and beauty salon Elements won the Best Small Employer category in The South East Learning and Skills Awards 2010.

This year, it also won an Investors in People – Health & Wellbeing Good Practice award.

Barbara said: “Apprenticeships are part of our working culture, they are the lifeblood of our industry and key to our longevity and success.

“Our apprenticeship programme forms the cornerstone in our business planning strategy, but it also provides a foundation for individuals who are often as young as 14.

“We aim to empower our apprentices to become confident professionals who are able to understand, set and fulfil their professional and personal goals.

“We use the ‘I-salon’ computer system to provide regular information and feedback to ensure that each apprentice is supported, praised and rewarded for their efforts.

“Elements uses TetraMap techniques to develop each individual’s, personality, strengths and performance in the workplace.

“Every member of our team is part of the decision-making process which is possible through group coaching and also one-to-one sessions. These sessions are called “buzz time” with weekly slots that can be booked by staff.

Barbara says the salon’s links with Nescot help to ensure that the salon provides its apprentices with an environment that really does keep them right up to the minute with techniques and skills and everything that the hair industry has to provide.

“Out of a 15-strong stylist team, 10 completed apprenticeships with Elements.

“Three members of the original team each has more than 15 years service, with our average team service being eight years, which is exemplary in our industry.

“Our academy assessors also completed their apprenticeships with elements. Our apprenticeship programme is so successful for Elements’ business that the average income generated by our young stylists nearly matches that of our senior team – this is unique in our industry.

“We do not have any recruitment costs because we are able to fill and offer apprenticeship places, and the trend has been for them to stay on permanently.

“As a result, Elements has a good company image because we retain our team members and they are happy and promote the salon.

“Clients are loyal and trust Elements’ employees – this is because turnover of staff is low and they are not disturbed by staff leaving regularly.

“At Elements, we believe in supporting our local community. Our staff and apprentices have raised thousands of pounds for causes both national and local.

“As a business, we want to be the best we can and have our team trained to the highest standard so that both our clients and our team are happy and stay with us.

“By getting involved in apprenticeship programmes we are creating the high standard of training from the outset of an apprentice’s career.

“We have recently built a designated academy above our salon and are now able to offer training to students outside of Elements and from other salons, so that they can achieve their NVQ level 1 and work towards the level 2 qualification.” This has benefitted our team and our business both now and in the future, our salon standards and training have risen dramatically.”