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 Jonathan’s annual apprenticeship registration fee, and any other training costs.

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 Jonathan 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.

Jonathan, a former student of Cargill High, is apprenticed to Southern Group Training and seconded to builder Bill Cox.