Among the distinguished guests were Andrew Jones; MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, Delroy Beverley; chairman of The National Apprenticeship Ambassadors Task Force for Yorkshire and Humberside and Anthony Knowles; head of employer and delivery services with the National Apprenticeship Service. An array of dental lab owners also attended the event, each offering kind words of praise for Sparkle Dental Labs and its pioneering work with regards to the Trailblazer Apprenticeship Scheme.
The Government’s Trailblazer initiative seeks to improve and develop apprenticeship schemes in 29 different industry sectors, and owner of Sparkle Dental Labs, Mustafa Mohammed, is leading the way to create a programme designed for dental technicians. The innovative scheme will offer an array of advantages for the British public with hugely increased employment opportunities and the chance to ‘earn while you learn’. Boosting the national economy and the UK dental lab industry in particular, participating employers will also benefit from enhanced productivity, lower staff turnover and an increased skill set among the company.
Committed to spreading the word and raising awareness and support for dental technician apprenticeships, Sparkle Dental Labs was delighted to welcome MP Andrew Jones to meet some of the professionals involved.
After comparing the state-of-the-art laboratory to that of a James Bond film set, Mr Jones was kind enough to offer a few words of encouragement and thanks to those who had gathered.
“Involvement in the Trailblazer Apprenticeship scheme shows that you are taking responsibility for the skills and training needed in your industry. Apprenticeships are one of the most important parts of education in Britain, and I hope that all UK industries start to recognise their value and invest in future employees to re-balance the economy by sector and geography. I believe few sectors will however create as much excitement and as much drive as the dental laboratory industry has, and for that I would like to congratulate everyone involved.”
Delroy Beverley later echoed Mr Jones in the need to expand the apprenticeship schemes into more UK industries, while offering high praise for Mustafa Mohammed and his team at Sparkle Dental Labs.
“Crucially, Mustafa has recognised the need to do something and identified the generational changes that must be made to influence and motivate the next generation within the dental lab profession. Asking for no personal accolade, he has nurtured this idea and is dedicated to providing a blueprint that shows the Government and other businesses alike, that you really can ‘practice what you preach’. Sparkle Dental Labs is a great example of just this, and I commend Mustafa on his vision and resilience. We now need to replicate this commitment in other industries, with greater benefits for more people and for the British economy.”
Anthony Knowles added:
“The facilities at Sparkle Dental Labs are fantastic – something for Yorkshire to be proud of. I think this is matched by Mustafa’s approach to offer more chances of employment for young people. The apprenticeships will provide a great way for people to learn new skills as they earn, with the chance to progress to a much higher level and enjoy a prosperous career. For employers, apprenticeships offer even more benefits including a high return on investment, increased productivity, loyalty and staff retention, and what’s more customers are highly supportive. I would encourage as many business owners as possible to get involved with the scheme, and thank you to all who are already.”
Barry Appleby, dental laboratory owner, was also impressed with the ideology and drive behind the Trailblazer intuitive:
“I first met Mustafa two years ago when the dental technician apprenticeship was just a budding idea. Mustafa began working with ‘Skills for health’ soon after our meeting, and the rest is history. I think it is a very interesting project with the potential to deliver what the dental lab industry needs – new professionals with practical experience. Students need to learn hands-on skills as well as the theory to be able to join the industry successfully, and this project could provide just this.”
In addition, Jeff Caddick, Director of Castle Ceramics and Lead of Technical Services to Oasis Healthcare, commented:
“I am in full support of what Mustafa and Sparkle Dental Labs are trying to achieve. They are providing a chance to influence the training and education of the next generation of employees, and Oasis Dental Healthcare is backing the initiative completely. We want to help build a positive culture between dentists and UK technicians, supporting the British industry and overall economy.
“For some dental laboratories, I think they should reassess their business plan to include potential for apprenticeships in order to benefit in the future. Such training opportunities will make them appear more professional, increase the skill of their workforce, emphasise a focus on British-manufactured products and materials and enhance their customer service – and these are all elements that will set their lab apart.”
Having achieved so much in its first year, Sparkle Dental Labs is set to make a huge difference to the British dental lab industry, both today and in the future.