Behind every award-winning company there’s a forward-thinking and motivated team. Here at Aqua Group we don’t take this for granted. We are committed to investing in our work force and giving our employees the experience they need to go far.
This involves apprenticeships, on-the-job training and professional qualifications for staff across our business. Here are just a few team members who have been forging their careers with Aqua.
Right at the beginning of his journey with us is Dann Guy who has just started a three-year refrigeration and air conditioning apprenticeship with one day a week at Eastleigh College.
Dann says he chose to do his apprenticeship with Aqua because of our reputation as an award-winning company with excellent customer relations. Just a few months into his training he’s enjoying the challenge and the support he’s received.
“Aqua cooling support me brilliantly as I train,” says Dann. “They supplied me with a brand new van and I have a trainer who is absolutely fantastic at what he does and teaches me everything he knows whilst on the job. If I have any problems with college work he’s more than happy to run me through it to ensure I understand.”
By undertaking an apprenticeship with us Dann is able to develop his skills in an industry he’s passionate about and earn at the same time.
He adds: “Every day is different, so there’s never a boring day. College teaches me theory and practical skills and then out on the road things are mostly hands, which is really helpful for me because that’s the best way I learn.”
Elliott Tribbeck has just finished a two year apprenticeship and is now a trainee designer. During his apprenticeship Elliott studied on the job and for one day a week at Highbury College. The combination of work place learning and day release gave him the chance to apply his learning to real life engineering projects.
He says: “After meeting everyone at the company at the interview process I became aware of the caring nature of the team and their ability to take chances to help succeed, this was the ideal working attitude that I wanted to be associated with.”
“The best part of the apprenticeship for me was having the privilege of seeing engineering work first hand, improving my skills within a specific field and having the ability to apply the information I had learnt in the relevant applications.”
Elliott now holds a BTEC in Engineering and will be continuing with us to broaden his experience in the industry.
While our innovative products are what Aqua Cooling is known for, our organisation wouldn’t run without our office support teams, so we are just as keen to invest in their professional development.
Natalee Hunt, an assistant in our accounts team, has just completed her Level 4 AAT – a diploma in accounting and bookkeeping. Natalee came from a sales background, so required training to help her carry out her day to day tasks.
She said: “AAT taught me the fundamental principles in accounting and how to bring them into the workplace. As most systems are now computer automated, AAT brings you the knowledge behind the computer so you are able to understand the procedures happening within the workplace without SAGE just doing it all for you.”
For the past two years we have sponsored Natalee through her coursework and exams with the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT). This has involved her taking evening classes at Fareham College and giving her all important time off to prepare for her accountancy tests.
Now that she has earned her membership of the AAT (MAAT) we will support Natalee to keep her skills updated through continual professional development courses.
Also in the accounts team, Cherie Cordall is in her final year of the AAT. She joined Aqua Cooling in 2008.
“AAT is important in my job as I came from a none accounting background,” explains Cherie. “It gives anyone wanting to work in accounting the foundations of accounting and bookkeeping which helps me in my day to day role.”
Cherie has been working towards the diploma through a combination of evening classes and, after having a baby, online distance learning. Aqua Cooling has funded her whole course, including tuition books, membership fees and exams, as well as giving her study days and time off for the exams. Cherie is due to complete her qualification next summer.
