Published: Friday, 8th February, 2008 4:30pm

In at the deep end

by Elaine Bowers

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BUDDING BUSINESSMAN: William Baxter is loving life at IBM and is delighted he is regarded as one of the team and trusted to handle responsibility and key projects. But, despite landing an £18,000-a-year contract, he has not splashed out on anything extravagant, preferring to build a ‘nest egg’ for the future.
Pic by: George Munro

LAST August, seven school pupils were presented with an £18,000 job at a glittering gala dinner in Greenock Town Hall. All seven were winners of The Recruit, a summer-long initiative run in Inverclyde and based loosely on the popular TV show The Apprentice. Today, ELAINE BOWERS catches up with William Baxter — who left Greenock High after scooping a prestigious post at IBM — to find out how he is faring now he has his foot on the first rung of the career ladder...

SIX months ago, William Baxter was beginning his final year at school. But, just a couple of days later, he was ripping up his timetable...

William had beaten off competition from teenagers all around Inverclyde to win a much-coveted, £18,000-a-year job at IBM after impressing judges on the innovative business project, The Recruit.

“The first week I started work I passed my driving test. I was on top of the world. I had a job and I could drive. It was great,” said William.

Today, school dinners have been replaced with lunch in the staff canteen and homework is a thing of the past. Instead, the former Greenock High pupil is now a procurement warranty analyst and spends his days liaising with contacts and suppliers in America and India.

William, still only 17, is thoroughly enjoying working life and is pleased his bosses have wasted no time in throwing him in at the deep end.

He said: “I feel I have more responsibility. I expected to come in and be doing more admin, but I am really involved. I am a member of the team with responsibilities and I am expected to do my work to a high standard. I have a variety of roles, one of which is to process US cash credit.”

William has also been given the opportunity to work on his own projects and develop ideas. He said: “Trust and responsibility are core values of IBM. I am given the responsibility and trust to do important tasks — something I don’t take for granted.”

A year ago, The Recruit — the brainchild of Robert Lamb, Inverclyde’s enterprise development officer — promised to find the district’s business leaders of the future. School pupils from throughout the district applied to get a place on the programme, which involved five months of tough challenges and the chance to win two year-long contracts with £18,000 salaries.

Competition was fierce, with 36 pupils selected to take part. Interest in The Recruit snowballed and, by August, seven jobs were on the table.

Having completed all the challenges over the summer holidays, William returned to school for his final year unaware he was about to be crowned a winner.

Two days after the start of the school term, William and the other recruits gathered for their first black-tie dinner in Greenock Town Hall to find out who had won a job.

Seven were told: ‘You are hired’ — and William was one of them. The first task for him the following Monday was to go back to school to fill in his leaver’s form.

William, who lives in Wemyss Bay, said: “If I hadn’t won The Recruit, I would be in sixth year working towards an extra couple of Highers.

“There is no worst thing about my job. I am learning every day and have gained so much experience. I couldn’t fault my time at IBM.

“My toughest challenge so far was simply adjusting from being a student to working full-time but, after a few weeks, it just seemed natural.

“My social life has changed dramatically. I have lost contact with a lot of friends I used to only see at school, but at the same time I have met a lot of new people — but that is just a normal part of life.”

William is net yet sure what he will be doing once his year-long contract is over, but he would like to go to university to pursue a career in business management.

He said the best thing about leaving school was earning a monthly wage and added: “I haven’t splashed out on anything extravagant. As I don’t know what I will be doing next year, I have decided to save as much money as possible so I have a small ‘nest egg’ for whatever I decide to do next year.”

William said one of his favourite memories of the recruit challenge involved a Spyhunt. He said: “Running about Glasgow city centre dressed as a clown, looking for Bob the Builder, was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime thing.”

As well as the spy challenge, William and all of the other recruits had to take part in a three-day outward-bound challenge, seven business challenges, 25 team or individual tasks and write 25 reports. One of the challenges involved setting up their own profit-making company. William’s team embarked on a car-washing adventure and learned just how important it is for a team to work together. William said: “We split the team and it was a bad idea.”

Dionne Condron, communications officer at IBM, praised William for doing so well. She said: “He has gained a lot of experience and has had an opportunity to mature. The Recruit is excellent for kids who don’t know what they want to do at uni. I wish I had the opportunity to do something like The Recruit when I was younger.”

William is keen to encourage pupils to sign up for The Recruit this year. He said: “I believe it would be very difficult to improve the programme from last year but I think everyone who applies should be aware that even although it is a lot of fun, it is hard work and should not be taken lightly.”

And his advice to potential recruits?

William said: “Be yourself and complete all the tasks to the best of your ability. Also, pay attention to everything you are being taught because it really does come in useful in the working world.”

Robert Lamb, who recently visited William and the other six recruits at their new places of work along with fellow development officer Jackie Fallon, said: “We were overwhelmed at the progress they are making.”

THE SEARCH is on to find 24 ambitious teenagers for The Recruit 2008.

Robert Lamb, Inverclyde Council’s enterprise development officer, is currently in the process of raising awareness of the scheme among all pupils in fifth and sixth year.

Like last year, 1,000 application forms will be distributed and it is hoped the success of the first event will mean there is a lot of interest among school pupils hungry for success.

The closing date for entries is February 28, after which 24 recruits will be selected to battle it out for the chance to win a £18,000 management position with a local firm.

Recruits will be expected to take part in an outward-bound challenge, as well as several business-related tasks and assignments over the summer months.

Fun and hard work are guaranteed.

Last year, two jobs were offered at the start of The Recruit programme but, as the scheme progressed, interest from the business community increased to such an extent that an incredible SEVEN jobs were eventually made available.