Super Sid shows teenagers have what it takes in the world of business
28/04/2008
Teenagers, who’d have ‘em? Well actually, the Chamber would. The business support organisation is a big fan of the much-maligned teenager, helping youngsters into apprenticeships and getting the most from work experience students.
Putteridge High School student Surendra Solanki, known as Sid, is the most recent young person to do work experience at the Chamber. Sid has been working with staff from across the business, helping with administration and adding value with his up-to-date knowledge of IT.
'Sid is a great example of how enthusiastic and knowledgeable today's young people are' says Stephen James, Head of Business Development at the Chamber 'He's enthusiastic, polite and willing to learn. It's a pity the media has to concentrate on the more negative aspects of youth when there are so many great young people like Sid around.'
Adds Stephen:
'Sid is just one of many young people we come across at the Chamber. We have a number of youngsters keen to become apprentices on our books. Moreover, we do put our money where our mouth is, having taken on apprentices ourselves and seen the benefits. Our experience is that taking the time to develop an inexperienced young person results in a confident, motivated employee with skills tailor- made for your business. It's a win-win situation.'
While fifteen-year-old Sid has only spent a fortnight at the Chamber, he's already seen the benefits of learning while you work:
'During my time at the Chamber, I've seen how the things I've been learning at school apply to the real world of work. I've also been able to put some of the skills I'm learning at school into practice, particularly ICT. I can now appreciate that apprenticeships are a really good alternative to university.'
