Training the Apprenticeship Trainers: How EDA's Training Providers Learn About Electrical Wholesaling
Learning Skills Partnership (LSP) is one of several providers delivering apprenticeship training to businesses operating in the UK’s electrotechnical wholesale sector, part of the wider construction industry. Electrical wholesalers are the essential link in the supply chain between manufacturers of electrical products and the electricians and contractors who install them. The sector’s trade body, the Electrical Distributors’ Association (EDA), has brokered secondments to help LSP’s tutors improve their knowledge of the sector.
Staff development is very important at Learning Skills Partnership (LSP) in ensuring that learners receive up to date and relevant teaching. We work with our partners to create opportunities for our tutors to complete secondments to help them to improve their knowledge and understanding in the sectors in which they deliver apprenticeships. A secondment allows for LSP staff members to spend time in another sector and gain an insight into how it works. It also provides a perspective of the apprentices’ experiences and the skills and knowledge they need to grasp quickly to be effective in their roles.
Damien, Lucky and Karen, all tutors on the Trade Supplier Apprenticeship Standard Level 2 which is one of the most popular standards for this sector, have recently completed secondments at Albion Electric Stores Ltd, City Electrical Factors (CEF) and Edmundson Electrical Ltd. The EDA currently has over 240 member businesses across the UK, between them operating 1,900 branches.
Damien, who currently delivers the Level 2 Trade Supplier Apprenticeship, spent 3 days in Leeds at Albion Electrical Stores Ltd (a member of The IBA Buying Group) finding out about the organisation’s history and reviewing all aspects of the business, from how they manage stock to how they interact with their customers.
Lucky also delivers the Level 2 Trade Supplier Apprenticeship and completed his secondment with CEF’s Reading branch over 2 days. During his visit Lucky reviewed elements of the business including warehousing, goods in, cable cutting, customer profiles, and CPD training.
LSP Tutor, Karen spent 4 days at one of Edmundson Electrical Ltd’s 2 Sheffield branches. Karen experienced health and safety, trade counter and telesales, warehousing, stock control, and complaint handling.
You can read about each of their experiences below. Each gained a great deal of insider knowledge about the electrical wholesale sector. This will be a great help when relating the apprenticeship standards to their learner’s roles.
A huge thank you to all the businesses and their teams for welcoming us, for sharing their time and expertise and for giving us such great access to their operations. Thanks also to the Electrical Distributors’ Association and their partners EDA Apprenticeships Plus for brokering these opportunities to ensure that the training we deliver is sector specific and up to date with current product and practice.
Damien - Albion Electricals Stores Ltd Secondment
“I have taken away a lot of knowledge from my secondment with Albion. This will help me in the delivery of the Trade Supplier apprenticeship. It has given me a taste of how an apprentice with little or no knowledge of the electrotechnical sector would feel joining the sector and how the range and type of products can be overwhelming. It also gave me an insight into how the organisation is structured and its vision, mission and aims.
“It is clear that Albion has developed outstanding relationships with its loyal customer base. They offer a very knowledgeable and friendly service to all customers, including those visiting for the first time.
“I now have a better understanding of how each department works together and the wider sector which will certainly help me when I speak to my apprentices who are just starting out on their electrotechnical careers.”
Lucky - CEF Secondment
“I spent 2 days with the CEF branch based in Reading. It provided me with a good exposure to the business and the electrotechnical sector. I can use this knowledge and understanding to support my apprentices and it will certainly help me to understand the terminology and jargon when discussing policies, procedures and products with them.
“I met some great individuals at CEF who supported me to develop my knowledge. They were happy to answer all the questions I fired at them throughout the 2 days. I can tell from the discussions with the individuals that the branch has improved immensely in terms of sales and growth, and this boils down to targeting the right customer base and focusing on what keeps the business going. They have a great relationship with customers and the environment is friendly with a family like atmosphere.”
Karen - Edmundson Electrical Secondment
“Edmundson Electrical Limited is a long-established national company with over 250 locations across the UK. It has a unique operating culture at its core.
“My secondment with the Catley Road branch in Sheffield, one of 2 Edmundson branches in the city, provided me with new knowledge covering different areas of the business. It has especially provided insight around the systems and procedures and how the different branches provide different product offers. It will certainly help me when working with my apprentices.
“The team is clearly passionate about customer service and will go above and beyond to exceed customer expectations and develop long lasting relationships. The work environment is very professional and welcoming for anyone visiting the store.”
