Aster Group apprentices start the new year with a £250 bespoke toolkit donation

Two Aster Group apprentices have taken an important step in their careers thanks to a generous donation from Jewson Partnership Solutions (JPS). The £250 gift included a toolbox, with each Wiltshire College apprentice selecting a range of tools tailored to their specific trade and individual needs.

One of the apprentices, Jamie Kerr, a 16 year old Electrical Apprentice from Devizes, is studying Installation and Maintenance Electrical Level 3 with Wiltshire College. Based in the Wiltshire Electrical team, Jamie has been gaining valuable experience on the job. He is now working in homes across Wiltshire that are managed by the local housing association.

Commenting on the donation, Jamie said: “Thank you to Jewson Partnership Solutions for the tool donations. It was nice to know there was support and that JPS wanted to help which takes the pressure off by knowing I have the right tools to do my job, right from the beginning."

Jamie is training to be an electrician at exactly the right time. While the number of qualified electricians has been declining, demand for skilled trades across construction, housing, and infrastructure continues to rise[1]. At the same time, more young people in the UK are turning to a skilled trade career as the labour market rapidly evolves due to AI[2].

Jess Scull, Apprenticeship and Early Careers Lead at Aster Group said: "We’d like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Jewson Partnership Solutions for their generous donation of tools. Alongside supporting Jamie, they have also kitted out another of our new electrical apprentices. This support not only equips them for the practical challenges ahead but also demonstrates a shared commitment to nurturing future talent in our industry. This donation is making a real difference and helping our apprentices turn ambition into achievement."

Aster’s apprenticeship programme enables people of all ages to learn and gain experience in a variety of roles across the business each year.

Ally Blakley, Partnership Account Manager for Jewson Partnership Solutions said: “Supporting new apprenticeships is so important to Jewson Partnership Solutions. That’s why we were delighted to be able to support Aster by donating toolkits. We hope the new tools will support the apprentices as they start their new careers and for many years to come.”

From 2017 to 2025, Aster has supported 172 apprentices in completing their training and becoming fully qualified in a variety of roles from plumbing and carpentry, to housing and finance. This has played a vital role in bringing new skilled people into the Group, with a number of these apprentices going on to successfully progress their careers within the company.

 You can find out more about Aster’s apprenticeship programme at https://www.aster.co.uk/careers/apprenticeships.

[1] https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/skills/electrician-numbers-could-fall-by-a-third-without-urgent-action-15-05-2025/

[2] https://www.business-reporter.co.uk/news/latest-news/fearing-ai-job-losses-some-young-workers-in-britain-shift-towards-skilled-trades-13796