SFS has been a supporter of apprenticeship schemes for more than 20 years and currently has apprentices working across its 14 depots located across the UK.
Bob Sweetland, managing director at SFS, said: “We want to celebrate our apprentices, their achievements and the skills they have developed because of the specialist training and mentoring our teams have provided. Just as we like to develop long lasting relationships with our customers, we also like to invest in our staff for the long term, providing opportunities for them to learn and grow with us. An apprenticeship is a great way to support someone who is starting out their chosen career.”
James Donald (pictured), 34 is an HGV Technician Level 3 apprentice at SFS’s depot in Boston, Lincolnshire. He started working for SFS six months ago when he took the plunge to start a new career and spends one week every two months at college learning theory to support the practical side of the apprenticeship.
Donald commented: “I had previously worked in farming, in particular driving and maintaining tractors and I really enjoyed it. When I saw the advert to work for SFS working on HGVs I was immediately interested and I’m so happy I got the job!
“Every day is different, and they are a good team of people. I find the work interesting and challenging, and my aim is to progress to become a master technician. I’ve never been interested in the office side of things.”
Dominic Snape, workshop controller at SFS Boston depot, said: “James has fitted in brilliantly, he’s a quick learner and very enthusiastic. He brings a youthful energy to the team and a passion for the technical/diagnostic side of the job.”
Over in Kettering, near Northampton, Tristan Sandeman, 20, has nearly completed the first year of his three-year HGV Technician apprenticeship.
Sandeman said: “I’ve always been into cars, and I have a dirt bike, so I was attracted to the idea of being a technician. I work mainly on refuse vehicles. They’re a lot bigger than you think and very interesting to work on with hydraulics and complex mechanics. They don’t smell as bad as I thought they would either; they are washed well!
“I get on really well with the team and they give me a lot of support.”
Jake Kightley, workshop controller, SFS Kettering depot is Tristan’s line manager. She said: “Tristan has integrated with the team well since he started with us. He is extremely keen to learn and is never afraid to get stuck in regardless of what the task may be. Although his time with us has been brief he is already proving to be a real asset to SFS.”
SFS delivers fleet and workshop management solutions to local authorities and currently operates a network of 14 workshops across the UK, nine of which are based at council depots. The company operates its own specialist vehicle hire division, CTS Hire, for the provision of short to medium term municipal vehicles.
