Adam completed his secondary education at James Hargest College before being offered employment as an apprentice with Southern Group Training.

An apprenticeship offers the opportunity to gain a tertiary qualification at Level 4 without needing to take on a student debt. Apprentices are paid as they learn.

Southern Group Training, as employer, pays for Adam’s annual apprenticeship registration fee, Training Manual, evening class and block course fees, and pays him while he is attending his annual three week block course. Travel and accommodation costs for any block courses held outside Southland are also covered.

Southern Group Training also provides apprentices with an interest free tool loan to enable apprentices to have a basic toolkit of their own from the beginning of their apprenticeship. This means that the apprentice does not have to save up for each tool but has the basics of the required tool kit on hand.

This means that the apprentice does not need to borrow other trades people’s tools to complete the tasks at hand. Apprentices are also provided with their own personal protective equipment.