Apprentices get full time careers at JC Payne

The Aldridge-based commercial bodybuilding company offers apprenticeship opportunities in a variety of roles including manufacturing, engineering and administration.

Managing director Neil Brandrick said: “At JC Payne, we are very proud of all of our team and we are especially thrilled that our apprenticeship programme is working so well. To be able to offer full-time roles here at JCP to all five of our latest intake of apprentices is especially pleasing.”

Abbie Grant will be the latest apprentice to complete her training to be rewarded with a full-time position with the Aldridge based firm when she completes her course in October.

Abbie is doing her Level 2 business admin course and has one hour per month onsite training with J C Payne partner In-Comm Training Services. Abbie said: “The best part of my job role is interacting with customers, helping to achieve deadlines and get the products to the customer on time.”

Jordan Reader, whose training was also with In-Comm completed the Level 2 Manufacturing Engineering course in January. Jordan’s course required him to attend college for two days a week for the first 10 months. His days now consist of all aspects of whole vehicle type approval as well as producing build packs for purchasing and production to order materials to build the bodies. He also communicates directly with chassis manufacturer engineering teams such as Mercedes and Ford. Jordan is now looking forward to moving up to a Level 3 qualification soon.

Daniel Jordan works in the company’s parts department. In May this year he successfully completed both an automotive parts environment and a health & safety in the automotive parts environment course. Daniel’s role involves working with both customers direct and repair specialists to quote and supply parts for truck bodies and tail lifts. Daniel said: “The best part about my current role is helping customers get what they need to get back on the road and the variety as no day is the same.”

Shelly Darby, recently completed her customer service apprenticeship last month doing her coursework in her own time rather than going to college. Shelly describes her day: “My job is a senior service and breakdown controller. I manage and book services and repairs, whilst handling breakdowns or defects. My duties are to allocate jobs and book jobs for engineers, and assist them in resolving customer issues."

She also said she enjoys “building rapport with customers, and working as part of a close fun team".

Kyle Szabo completed a customer service level 2 course in March. His priorities are more sales focused and require him to go out and visit customers on-site. The sales role consists of providing customer quotes (both verbal and in writing), technical specification information and receiving and making calls to new and existing customers. Kyle said: “The best part of my current role is going out to visit potential customers advising of our products and services, also contributing to our 20/20 Vision.”

Neil Brandrick added: "We recently launched our 20/20 Vision which sets out our goals for the next three years. Everyone at JCP is striving to be the best at what we do, but also to help each other as we aim to get there, with the same vision and goals. The fact our apprentices have embraced both this strategy and our culture is immensely pleasing.”