As National Apprenticeship Week gets under way, Sharp’s Brewery has been celebrating the success of its own apprentices.
Former Sharp’s apprentice Callum White, now a deputy team leader
The team has been training up the next generation of talent through a number of key Cornwall-based apprenticeships, with two previous apprentices now full-time team members.
In addition, the Cornish brewery has just completed recruitment for a second brewing apprenticeship, starting in May 2022.
Sharp’s former engineering apprentice, Will Purdy, was offered a full-time engineering role at the company in 2020, after having exceeded the standard required for this promotion. Will started his engineering apprenticeship in 2016, with little to no engineering experience, but through the scheme he has gained knowledge and experience to set him up for a career in engineering in multiple skills.
Another former apprentice who now has a full-time position with Sharp’s Brewery is Callum White. Callum completed his brewing apprenticeship with his final assessment just last month. Callum’s technical and process knowledge developed so substantially throughout the apprenticeship programme that he has now been positioned as a deputy team leader, taking on increasingly more responsibility and developing his people management skills.
Kacey Breakspear is Sharp’s current events apprentice. She is progressing really well, despite lockdown pretty much shutting down the events industry in her first year. Against all odds, Kacey initially pivoted her training and applied her learning capabilities to alternative areas of the business before the return of events.
Sharp’s head brewer, Aaron McClure, said: “I really see the value of apprenticeships, for both the business and the apprentices themselves. It allows the individual to get a very well-rounded knowledge of the business at all levels.
“I love working with apprentices, and developing people is one of the most rewarding parts of my job. I really enjoy sharing my passion and building the next generation of brewers, as well as recognising that apprentices are also important to other areas of the business.”
• National Apprenticeship Week takes place from 7th-13th February 2022, celebrating apprenticeships and bringing the whole apprenticeship community together.
