Boroughbridge-based cold storage and transport business Reed Boardall is continuing to promote skills and training in the local community, this time having supported a 17-year-old from Ripon to complete the company’s first apprenticeship in Business Administration.

Jonasz Holica, originally from Poland, moved to Yorkshire when he was two years old and, after completing his GCSEs at St John Fisher High School in Harrogate, went to York College to take a BTech in Business. On leaving college, Jonasz wasn’t sure what he wanted to do next and took a part-time job in a supermarket. Fortunately, he saw an apprenticeship in Business Administration being advertised by Reed Boardall and applied; he started working for the business in January 2023.

“I’ve never learned well in a classroom environment, I find it repetitive and difficult to stay focussed,” explains Jonasz, now 18 years of age. “To be honest, when I applied for the apprenticeship with Reed Boardall, I didn’t really know what it was or much about the company. However, I found that I learnt so much more by being in a real business, having a day release for college and then being able to put that learning into practice.

“Everyone here has been so supportive, there’s always someone I can ask for help, and it’s great being paid while I’m training. Over the 14 months it took for me to complete my apprenticeship, I covered general business, employment law, policies and procedures, and finance. I quickly realised that HR was the area I enjoyed most and Reed Boardall gave me a permanent position as an HR assistant within eight months of me joining as an apprentice.”

He continues: “Having completed my apprenticeship in April, the company has mapped out a future career in HR for me, starting with me studying for a CIPD Level 3 in September which will take me about a year before I then go on to study for my CIPD Level 5. It’s fantastic to be able to have this structure, Reed Boardall have made it so easy for me to progress within a safe, supportive environment as well as investing in my college courses. I couldn’t be more grateful for these opportunities and I want to do the best I possibly can for the business.”

Laura Amies, group HR manager for Reed Boardall, adds: It seems unbelievable now, but when Jonasz first started working with us, he didn’t even know how to write an email, much less what HR entailed! Since then, he’s come an incredibly long way and has demonstrated an outstanding commitment to learning and developing. Jonasz has impressed us with his hard work, dedication and resilience, and has become a true asset to the department and to the business.

“As a business, we are committed to investing in developing and training people with potential and Jonasz is a great example of how well apprenticeships can work. Having offered IT and Finance apprenticeships, we liked the flexibility of Business Administration, providing skills which could be used throughout our operations. We certainly plan to offer more apprenticeships in the future and urge school leavers who aren’t sure which career path to take, to consider them as an exciting option to traditional full time college or university learning – hopefully, Jonasz’s story will inspire other young people.”