BEMS Controls Apprenticeships: The vital role they play in securing the sector’s future

As it is National Apprenticeship Week (running from 10th February to 16th February), the BCIA has spoken to industry leaders to discuss the apprenticeship schemes they offer and the importance of such training programmes.

Ian Ellis, Marketing & Sales Specialist Manager at Siemens Building Products, was first up to provide details on the company’s apprenticeship scheme and how it has performed. 

Q. What apprenticeship schemes do you currently offer, and what skill sets do they focus on?

At Siemens, we currently offer a Level 4 apprenticeship, utilising the comprehensive BCIA model.

Q. How long have you been offering apprenticeship programmes, and what motivated you to start them?

We began offering apprenticeships when the BCIA scheme started in 2021 and our first apprentice is part of the first cohort. We hadn’t actually offered apprenticeships in our BMS business since I finished mine – which was in 1988! However, Siemens does have other apprenticeships in other businesses.

We were aware of the skills gap in our industry and also a rapidly ageing workforce, so apprenticeships are a perfect way of attracting new talent and ideas to our business. One good thing about an apprenticeship is the apprentices have a good opportunity to learn and see different parts of the business and industry within their apprenticeship period.

This gives them time to decide what they like and what they want to do at the end of their apprenticeship without their being pressure on them to perform on Day One. As an employer, it gives us the chance to assess their skills and tailor their training and experience to what works best.

Q. What levels of apprenticeship (e.g. entry-level, advanced, or higher) do you provide, and how do they align with industry needs?

Our apprenticeship scheme is BCIA Level 4. This gives them a great grounding in what we need them to be capable in at the end of their apprenticeship.

Q. What benefits have your apprenticeship schemes brought to your business?

For us, it being able to bring in new people that can be trained and be able to succeed within our business. They bring new perspectives and ideas and it can also motivate existing staff to help in the process.

Q. What future plans do you have for expanding or evolving your apprenticeship offerings?

Since we started the apprenticeship scheme, we have taken on at least one apprentice per year and we currently have five in different cohorts of the BCIA scheme. I expect us to continue to recruit at similar levels going forward.

Q. Can you share specific examples or success stories of apprentices who have gone on to make significant contributions to the industry?

I can’t share specific examples as we haven’t had an apprentice finish the scheme yet. However, I was an apprentice, and so was Ron Purcell, who is on the management committee (although we both finished our apprenticeships around 35 years ago).

Q. How do your apprenticeship schemes align with broader industry goals or government initiatives?

It is clear we have an ageing workforce and a skills gap in our industry. Additionally, the industry we are in can help deliver sustainability goals of the government. So, the apprenticeship scheme is a superb way of addressing those issues and bringing new people into an industry that can help combat climate change challenges.