As we review the current bursary cohort, we find that two of our bursary recipients have completed their bursary term and completed their training. We encourage them to apply to the Certification Panel as working gunmakers. Currently, the Trust has seven apprentices under bursary, with two progressing through the enrolment process, with several others on the waiting list.
Apprentices receiving bursaries are overseen by mentors appointed by the Trust, normally drawn from the community of Liverymen from the Worshipful Company of Gunmakers, who are in regular contact with both the apprentice and the employing company on a quarterly basis. The Mentors aim to visit their apprentice onsite once a year. The Mentors, in collaboration with the Clerk, Mr Mundin, ensure that the firm formally reports twice a year on the training progress of the apprentice.
The role of the Mentor is to have oversight on behalf of the Trust, to ensure the positive progress of the trainee, and that the bursary is being spent wisely and effectively. The Mentors also ensure that the bursary recipient is employed within government legislation and employment law and they follow a suitable training programme.
The Trust encourages all bursary recipients to apply to the Certification Panel of the Worshipful Company of Gunmakers once they have completed their training. This then leads to accreditation as a Gunmaker and encourages a long-term relationship with the Worshipful Company of Gunmakers, and ultimately the recipient is encouraged then to join the Company as a working gunmaker. A route that is more cost-effective for a working gunmaker.
As mentioned briefly above, it is expected that the Mentor will have a level of oversight to ensure that the employer is conforming to the statuary legal obligations as defined in employment law, health and safety and other such instruments defined in law that a responsible employer needs to conform to.
As mentioned briefly above, it is expected that the mentor will have a level of oversight to ensure that the employer is conforming to the statuary legal obligations as defined in employment law, health and safety and other such instruments defined in law that a responsible employer needs to conform to.
