Pictured: Ian Vickers (centre) with Lasse Hansen and MET apprentice Usman Aslam (front)

A Midlands computer technology company is pioneering an apprenticeship programme that will benefit businesses which do not have dedicated ICT support.

MET (Managed Enterprise Technology), based at Fort Dunlop in Birmingham, this year took on three apprentices from a Microsoft-approved scheme and their move is now set to provide much-need ICT support to a string of other businesses.

Managing director Ian Vickers says: "We took on the apprentices at the beginning of the year and at that time one of our clients, Blue Earth Foods Ltd in Redditch, was looking to employ a young ICT person.

"However, they did not have an ICT department as such and so one of our apprentices was taken on to work at Blue Earth, creating a win-win situation all round.

"We take the responsibility for the interviewing and selection process and the apprentice undertakes an induction course at MET's Network Operation Centre. This includes an introduction to MET's best practices, our management systems etc. The young person is then seconded to the site of our client and we support them through regular supervision and helpdesk support.

"Their training & development is managed by MET and we work closely with our client to ensure that the apprentice is providing the right services and skills.

"We anticipate that within 18 months the apprentice at Blue Earth will outgrow the role. At that stage he will be offered a more senior role at Blue Earth or be brought back to MET and we begin the whole cycle again by providing them with another apprentice.

The initiative is brilliant for bringing young people into work and ensures that they are developing the right skills, supported by an innovative technology business like MET."

Blue Earth Foods Ltd is a major supplier of chilled seafood products to leading retailers throughout the United Kingdom and Europe and its managing director Lasse Hansen said: "We are delighted with the way things are working with MET. It means we have the expertise we need on site, with the comfort of being backed by a leading ICT support company."

Ian Vickers added: "We are in talks with Microsoft to further develop this service and we aim to place hundreds of apprentices in local businesses and schools.

"It would be of particular appeal to those organisations that need onsite technical resource yet do not have the budget to employ fully-qualified ICT support personnel"

The MET apprentice at Blue Earth, Usman Aslam, said: "The experience has been really rewarding. My technical knowledge has improved significantly from the support provided by MET and working at Blue Earth is a huge opportunity to learn on the job and at the same time deliver a service for a thriving business."