Warrington-based new and used finishing equipment supplier TFP is run by husband and wife team James and Victoria Roberston. It employs a team of 14, including five full-time engineers who install and service equipment, predominantly Duplo but also others including Renz, Muller Martini, MBO and Horizon across the UK and Ireland.
According to Victoria Roberston, the pair have been thinking about taking on an apprentice for a while.
“We just never got around to it before, but the opportunity came about this time because he’s the son of one of our engineers, who’s worked in the industry for more than 20 years, and he was keen to get into it. The pieces just came together at the right time,” she explained.
“We get lots of training from our manufacturers but Duplo are quite unique so far in offering to train an apprentice like this,” said Victoria Roberston. “It’s certainly an avenue I’d be interested to explore with others as well,” she added.
Apprentice Jimmy Ambler began his four-year course with TFP and Leeds City College in March this year and Roberston said the manufacturer training, which was undertaken with colleague James Roberts, was incredibly valuable for the 17-year-old.
“It introduces him to the big brands, and in terms of expanding knowledge and development it’s just fantastic. Not just purely what he’s learning about the machines, but also about our industry and branding and working with different partnerships,” she added.
Ambler works two to three days per week at TFP’s major client Bluetree Group, travelling to other customers with TFP colleagues on other days. At the end of his apprenticeship Ambler will achieve an NVQ Level 3 in Metatronics and Roberston said the business will offer him a full-time position at that point.
Roberston said she hoped to offer more apprenticeships in the future.
“Working in print and print finishing is very practical so the best way to learn is being hands-on, so I think apprenticeships are really beneficial. Our customers are very welcoming and everyone wants to see someone who is ready to learn.”
She continued: “An apprentice comes with no pre-programming. They are fresh-faced and you can guide and mould them to your business model and vision but they also come with no experience so you must be able to support them and supervise them at all times.”
Commenting on his experience so far, Ambler said: “It’s interesting, and I just love the fault-finding side of servicing and repairing these machines. I spend about two days a week at Bluetree and the rest shadowing TFP’s other engineers. I’m good with Horizon equipment and three-knife trimmers, the problem-solving aspect of the job is what drew me initially.
“It’s always different, the customers are great, their operators are helpful and I’m just glad I’m out and about every day doing something different.”
