“I want to define the future,” Calum Heath told the FM Sudafix website team, “it may sound ambitious, but I like setting a challenging target.” Calum Heath, recently welcomed onto the FM Sudafix Group board of directors, has brought in a number of changes since joining the senior staff and the indication is that more significant innovations are on the horizon. “The FM Sudafix Group is as committed as ever to refine and further professionalise the electrical safety sector, and I know that some of our pending actions are going to surprise a lot of people, but today I want to talk about apprenticeships.
Whilst the company has welcomed young, or new to the industry, members of staff FM Sudafix has often lamented the lack of appropriate apprenticeships, “On the installation side of things the industry is familiar with appointing apprentices and this has served it well, but it has never really expanded beyond that limited scope of a few installation roles. Until fairly recently apprenticeships were always reserved for hands on jobs, but now they are available in a more diverse scope of practical disciplines, both within the office environment, and on the worksite.” The FM Sudafix Group has frequently raised the issue of formal accreditation in the past and this was something Calum reiterated, “The FM Sudafix Group is a unique company in a specialist industry so some of the broader apprenticeships do not cater for our needs. Historically this has resulted in FM Sudafix training our staff in-house, and whilst the JMI training certificate is valued by numerous organisations beyond the FM Sudafix Group (so much so that our in-house training has been sought by private, public and government organisations) it still does not entitle our fantastic staff to any perceived accolades beyond the remit of our industry, and I for one was not okay with that.”
Difficult circumstances can often provide the right environment for innovation and that ability to take unpromising situations and convert them into something impressive has long characterised the activity of FM Sudafix; Calum continued, “With youth unemployment being what it is and my frustration at the lack of accredited apprenticeships appropriate to what we do, I decided to do something about initiating change. As a result of this decision we have established an association with an excellent college which is working with us to create new vocational courses that appropriately cater for our industry, and will enable the staff members that have historically been unable to demonstrate their abilities on paper to do so with recognised formal qualifications.”
FM Sudafix’s preparedness to invest in the betterment of their staff has been demonstrated over the years and Calum pledges to continue that, “The cost of an education in this country is formidable these days, and for many people now training through work, or career funded study, is one of the few routes to obtaining the qualifications that they desire. That being said finding a company that is prepared to back you can be difficult. We love achievement at FM Sudafix, and we share pride in the academic or vocational milestones of our staff and whilst we cannot accommodate endless quantities of new recruits, we ensure that those that we take on are given every opportunity to succeed.”
The FM Sudafix Group draws on a rich heritage of sector successes which hark back to the origins of the UK industry, and the personal achievements of its key players exist somewhere between market segment benchmarks which have largely been unsurpassed, and the stuff of legend; but unsurprisingly Mr. Heath is unprepared to mere stand on the shoulders of giants, or for its staff to think the hard work is over: “The FM Sudafix Group is recognised for its ongoing excellent performance and its back catalogue of numerous successes. Do not get me wrong legacy is important, but the only way you can maintain and develop a reputation is to keep on improving, to keep on setting the standard, and for that you need a constant supply of new talent. I believe in the promise of young people, and I guarantee that FM Sudafix will continue to invest in them; by doing that we are helping craft the future of the sector.”
Calum’s personal experience during his time with FM Sudafix frames the way he wants others to find their work time, “FM Sudafix is blessed with experience; with people like John and Steve sitting at the top of the tree every action is guided by their knowledge. Their expertise really cascades through the company and in turn our staff improves and advances more swiftly. For me working with John, Steve, and the rest of the team has been the steepest learning curve you could imagine, but look at the result. I walked through the door as part of the JMI technical team, but within a few years of commitment, sacrifice and loyalty I have got the job I always dreamed of, earning promotion through performance. That’s the kind of opportunity that I want all of our apprentices, and new starters at any other point in their career, to have at FM Sudafix. This organisation handsomely rewards those who meet and exceed the demands of their role, but people cannot rely on the accomplishments of others; this company gives the best support on a micro and macro level, but in terms of making the most of opportunities, it’s all on the individual because there’s no place to hide here.
“To me, that’s what the FM Sudafix Group means as a company: it’s the open door, where other companies keep them closed; it’s the chance to better yourself, where other companies may seek to keep you in one place; ultimately the FM Sudafix Group started out as an idea, a bold dream shared by two friends who dared to give it a shot and who were totally committed to seeing their ambitions fulfilled and I think that energy and mentality continues to this day in the organisation and as a consequence kindred spirits are drawn to work here.”
