Pictured: Apprentice George with his mentor Paul

Hixon anti-scald bathroom equipment firm Inta is going back to basics and investing in the future of the plumbing trade by appointing a local Stafford college student.

George Knowles, aged 17, has joined Inta as an apprentice as part of the company's effort to continue their commitment to hands on, practical training.

George will be working alongside Paul Skinner, who began his career as an apprentice 31 years ago and has devoted his working life to the bathroom industry. Having built up his credentials Skinner is now determined to train up the next generation and instill high quality skills in their new recruits.

The apprenticeship will see George trained in all aspects of business and across all of Inta's products, with a view to him specialising in quality assurance and customer service. Having learned the tricks of the trade through a similar training process, Paul believes learning on the job is key to producing top quality employees. "My view is that spending time in the classroom alone doesn't necessarily make for a good workman," he said.

"When youngsters just go to college I feel there is often a real world skills gap. Working alongside all the guys in the business is going to give George the upper hand. If you spend time working with the team assembling products, ten years down the line you could be managing them. With this apprenticeship comes real opportunity."

George's apprenticeship is designed to compliment his studies at college, as he works towards a BTEC in mechanical engineering and a Level 2 NVQ in mechanical engineering. George, who is looking forward to a bright future with Inta, said "I like being in a big company and getting training across the board. I want to stay with Inta and hopefully grow into a valuable employee. I can really see myself doing this job when I'm fully qualified".