Speedy is running a pilot mentoring and skills transfer programme that pairs employees at either the latter end of their careers, or who are well established in their careers, with younger apprentices to facilitate the two-way sharing of knowledge and experience. 

All employees acting as mentors are provided with training from Speedy’s people development business partners, as well as being offered incentives tracked against their apprentices progress.

An example pairing is septuagenarian lifting engineer Keith Pallett, who has worked at Speedy Hire for 32 years. Keith is partnered with 19-year-old Jess Bloxam, a lifting engineer apprentice who is studying a Level 3 lifting equipment technician apprenticeship with Qualitrain.

Keith shares his expertise with Jess through practical on-site guidance at Speedy's Leicester depot, to help develop her knowledge of lifting equipment skills - from maintenance and inspection to installation and safety. Meanwhile, Jess gives Keith tips and advice on using computer software, enabling him to acquire some useful digital skills. 

“I am learning an incredible amount from Keith, he has so much experience that I want to tap into to support my practical learning and development as an apprentice Lifting Engineer,” explains Jess.

Whike Keith says: “Jess instinctively knows her way around computers and she’s very comfortable using different programmes or IT applications for reporting or data input. She has come up with some ideas for more efficient working using different systems.”

“The future workforce can learn and develop from more experienced colleagues’ skills sets and wisdom which are like gold dust amidst a skills shortage. Also, whilst an older employee can impart a wealth of technical and safety knowledge, with age strength can diminish, so the younger generations can help with physical aspects of a job such as onloading and offloading items safely and efficiently. This kind of collaboration across the Speedy workforce is important to reinforce a culture of support and development," added Speedy's Emerging Talent Lead and ESG Business Partner, Gill Roberts.

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