CASE STUDY: From Application to Apprenticeship: ERIKS' Journey to Finding the Perfect Candidates

Overview:

• ERIKS – a leading UK manufacturing and infrastructure company – were searching for talent to recruit for their exciting 2024 apprenticeship programme.
• Recruitment was outsourced to Carbon60, who’s expert team created and implemented a bespoke, end-to-end ‘Motivate, Attract and Select’ solution.
• Exceeding expectations, the solution generated over 2500 applications and resulted in 21 new apprentices.
• All 21new apprentices were placed at ERIKS within the 3-month project plan, with a pipeline of talent created for future opportunities also.

Background:

ERIKS – a Specialised Industrial Service Provider – is a key player in UK manufacturing and infrastructure, providing product installations, comprehensive engineering services right through to supply chain solutions. Their people are the driving force behind their ability to deliver solutions and solve complex customer challenges. And all times, they are looking to the future.

Apprenticeship programmes are a key part of ERIKS people strategy and core to discovering the next generation of engineering talent, help bridge the skills gap in STEM related roles, and provide meaningful, well-paid careers.  

Challenge:

Specifically, the 2024 apprenticeship programme would provide job opportunities in a variety of locations around the UK, vital experience in a skills short sector, and a chance to gain a Level 3 Engineering Fitter qualification. Additionally, Level 3 and 4 Sales & Service apprenticeships were available in ERIKS’ busy service centres.

Having previously managed recruitment of apprentices in-house, ERIKS decided to outsource the 2024 intake. Carbon60 was selected to deliver the apprentice recruitment project based on its proven and trusted reputation to deliver solutions in engineering recruitment.

Solution:

Carbon60 built a campaign team that consisted of talent marketing expertise and recruitment specialists. Led by our campaign manager, using project management methodologies, we discussed, understood and refined the requirements. We further identified the technical, behavioural and people skills of the talent required to complement and enhance our customer’s existing engineering and sales & service teams. Based on our ‘Motivate, Attract and Select’ model, we designed an end-to-end solution that would not only generate a large number of applications, but do so from a diverse array of sources – from promising school or college leavers beginning their career, to those looking to take a new or next step in their career journey.

As with all such campaigns, it started with a bespoke talent attraction marketing plan, which included targeting defined groups, regions and channels via social media campaigns designed to raise our customer’s brand awareness and attract relevant talent to exciting work. Our recruiters were also tasked with sourcing through search and referral using existing networks and databases.

We created a bespoke landing page on our website which allowed us to track application source and DE&I data. This was our online brochure to the world, promoting ERIKS as a fantastic place to work, with bespoke messaging, promoting the apprenticeship programme and its application requirements. Additionally, we created printed and digital versions of an apprenticeship pack, interview handbook and guides to help applicants prepare CVs and cover letters. Each element was created to encourage individuals to apply and advise them on how to make a successful application.

Our campaign manager oversaw our operation. This included: receiving, sorting and matching all candidate applications,  based on their suitability and right to work; candidate communication, support and guidance through each stage of assessment; shortlisting and coordinating final interviews for both ERIKS and candidates.

We worked closely with all customer stakeholders throughout, reporting on progress at an individual, team and contract level, and directly with ERIKS’ teams, providing them with transparency and control throughout, managed the candidate application and assessment journey.

Outcome:

Our talent marketing and recruitment activities exceeded our own expectations and generated an initial 2550 applications for just five apprentice vacancies. Through CV sifting, applicant screening and qualification calls, we identified 91 individuals we were happy to longlist and progress to competency assessment. Following a controlled interview process, 58 applicants were chosen to move to customer interview stages; with 18 of them being progressed to ERIKS’ onsite insight day, for final assessment in the working environment. Finally, having narrowed down the talent pool to just a few, ERIKS made offers of apprenticeship placements to 21 individuals across 15 different geographical locations. 

We successfully delivered all five new apprentices into ERIKS within the 3-month project plan, and such was the high-quality of the applicants, our customer now has a pre-qualified talent pipeline of individuals for future opportunities.

Testimonials

“The guys at Carbon60, and everything the created, did and provided, didn’t let us down. I am over the moon with the results of the entire campaign.

"It has been a dream for me. Very easy from start to finish.” - Talent Development Business Partner at ERIKS.

“I would love to repeat the whole process again with Carbon60 it honestly went amazing, the interview day is the best interview day I’ve had.” – Successful Candidate (Engineer Apprenticeship at ERIKS Leicester)

“A well communicated and seamless process from initial application to final offer.

“My experience to date has been a positive one, and I'm keen to start my apprenticeship journey at ERIKS.” - Successful Candidate