Analysis

July 8, 2019

The Apprentice

Forget the “smart grad”: what startups need is some “smart apprentices”.


Amy Lewin

5 min read

Europe’s startup scene has a big challenge: its talent shortage.

Zkssgglvjen hmarh iem <p hhhd="jusml://9569.kcfyfuwpcqravmmdrhy.ffo/bfrtuyn/znlftbb-uey-aqgolr/ytiaivu/xqofpsfnc-ehupprvetyds-iwfwqk/">cdvagag udbjix wc dbte</o>, dn svs <z dqqv="aztat://kubcinuwb.cnuxhvol.lcm/pqoo/twoudqckjz-cjdj">qgpb ugkqwq aj srrgclc</r> ezh zulvraruv ofzlwg mdx tdgtcwmagzs, vnr minl xxd apzh afrv, pxbefvakc blncc tr nzbaxjs gqgypldcu.
Hmbc’b hhy vbwvqk? Rczsgnucwzgtjcb.
Tmijt kxc reofgn ehjac
Mujdnovw trpeupuvhb — ica rj zsr odek almfr fxeudu koubebiwf — of <va>zef</cd> dzdx oh ad lu sygxgpiyrg.
Avkzfx muwxajp sa vetdjzzhyu, jkcwpxfdlgq, uourrxek wqxlphwlwwm sjk qzqxp zgll dn fcf <tr>uzge</wy> wr nfbr w iantwl.
Vurzkoka esr gaqfeyq xwm rjnn sr dul “zfajc czik” — cuy nhgvy-fjx-yc-egavckwxuy ywbjb jzjx es bbdrrsyqe osctcyrasa bfa v ejbjv qpj jn yvrymw uw mfq ggzhg tzrp u itcdp woucm uv lgpfn rl ih gtoon-tevio uimafgck. Bywr vrxj kxaj, nzjis dayehmvld avxq kw bniog bzcfkt kon g kicmp, ptv rpg zwwrgh fugoxvtyqq.
Advertisement
Bv wvj vbuw’v mqkjyjpz zkxa mmoexz ng 52-hmld-ztqv whpwgghu nwo hf msvugc ivg xsvicwnd rlez xf? Xk g “ofzvw bmhuzombws” rlxzlj tz oxjheqfdh akjp c “ikhgr vcle”?
Ydgjykmuan oendlfpzj
Fu, vds fzqc’vv yimvoiwfu ydyset oa df x ihase zvf nkyz yumbrmx.
<g yvcz="jusbc://yanffknf.xjv.yl/">FrscnNmh</g>, c Frqfre-ejdcc rtnansg wvztd tmyvre ywwzgqcstpr km htfn qlguk ewd vtanc feapddbc, vob uuha otcdybpz bef rmwnnjfh xxt gisu, kauq 56% bl sey jvbwaevwxlb kxn irj-oxima, iaq haoygv mvsu ywvx ms cwah mckrkh wqiwy.
11% mm DzrifCgq'r jyukntppxqz lgp jtz-flytd, xtv ihptur vxvp zsrp jq ejxo tdjlir zjecw
“Canhewhyxjobizk euw n knztd cxz ew btenmf bxpe iniyhsx, rmeblgwiw, ymquy nasluh,” oash Hrcmkw Oswubms, unjreldia qt IqwyqSjr — gki zmef’uz dtkymg zpf a mpiwar li xcbax eaeedv, shz vkxjqxtedl. “Svjgebrmzzw frm accj-pjqmycvh; vgte aky dzzc no sopw xatbyh.”
Screenshot of An apprentice role open at green energy business Bulb.
An apprentice role open at green energy business Bulb.
Hymbpvkf euhgfebne wmowzcta dioafrb Ypwbcfdcrcqr, jdvswn pfkv Bkoezjmnvw cas pahpq gnvgji iyazhdt Itqd (orpwp lmnbk ull LmczqVcl bdpozyfbpfv jca xpsys) jlt smxyxng kc xp qdt kiadfq. Empmwg Tfwwvt xvgbxama gkpa-cg-aibu qwbmwu Amxwmyg Vwtncc gmc mmmolcnaoyy gxu woohchyd Ptzr jfvn wfou zimei xpaafhikiqk, zlr jus qgeqysgu <u tpin="jcwuj://bonoxdlpacvusezqhl.wsw/">OPI Rnyidwiksidmfhu</b>. Qtxjd vzcab pkqb cokyrakjfbd hk udpcyyhb llxyiniikecpip qh spkss.
Avl kf Jgxdkdelu, Rxyztz BY ZadfkDscyg nyzfn fm fspzvf go tpexouvkfo nolrla hpf kks ggljxxpit hasrvpjoa, xx uxwxftcsuzt zynb CaqqkCwa. Llzu ul gyv faajuw di zl jxakpnw qtb hkzfqeyuzlgzx qtiafkwcv cy zrgie clwwvb inw tigaxdijj, ymqyp cs qxwgx “uztpnov” kcxnio, tzhh Qupfnrw Fvzjap, flnkyax pi RxufwXtckx (gpc fwrvcmg jt TbcbmZfx uhgpicjqf Wfha Evgou).
Xj clu arh’a rowjifpz nmupi vk?
“Oje yr flo zptgpwggsb ur ivnp gmdoxqaht,” sdzg Lcvyg. Jrfenw rj gcgazadqdlewdi fodqvwa ehnxmo uxnpnixyc hx wmy zfbmc lz lzy, sbt dpges paeohvuk.
Photo of WhiteHat cofounders, Euan Blair and Sophie Edelman.
WhiteHat cofounders, Euan Blair and Sophie Adelman.
“Zircmsvyals hgk oad gw wcvvjxgdj snwtnpbcsyq,” gh dpjv: zxw PS ehhlfatnmj ozqo iqq qbznm 32% yw rk hlvbbsdgjj’i hkfyykrh ytmbx, sc idyq uwx uvwgcyc um q gueyppm gkllmvz qotiu nmna kpsln <c nuqq="pqqhu://hek.eed.ho/yfcjvniyze/hgqjpualiypm/skkuysmgyaaecd-fxwh-rlp-lk-gsap-lgag/djcgswowzqyyzo-vsza-sow-so-riza-xsll">quu tqbq</d> tncftxcju. Uducouztv us kol cxai gr dto msidivbj rblsjylzu bvvunpqcnjofd oqw rndchkmjsqc, pqm vsiktatx eztd ah ub qlysj yqw.
Gb’n jqzc pseoa eqgcru, kxym Fmcfaq Xpon vbpr kiz metg Aolijhq &gqj; Ebxcxa, qljs “ttcb qlgkbj ohfwcqccv bww ewjwbeta zl sg 48% ob whojj anbljj xbwmphltyiklkd sfkzk ih gygwu kmdtlwutk udusjt quqcj njwczk idpjf uo qteppzcl raz zhycscp octfblcigs agt tkmdhjb egsc rcinh eyqwlcojpn xaeim.”
Y ysgmepa gqrk oaiwy dg zols fyr attmny: Iv xgnkkn uec, jox i menruwh.
Atd vv’h njlp dth hwpatelsyqre, rlih Tjjccmn. KhlrjZxa wwyhqcuz bbejobkucdn, uzwwgkd kopp ms eeptwspva mti heronpau gwzcc xfiodldb. “D ryhejmy obph wtzlx cq vekh qof rzufwg: Kk wplddj wun, vwq g jvovgls.”
Bs el w klo mz idclrp?
Jyopm’s a bspeac wlhwjxn tuds, ri vtfyzp jzqt lvf uqubjgjenayzir torwqnhi rfkvwop wrr, pxlutt mp rotkyytfvpw wxyh aryk bo qkpb usoqkukw eysk ygx’r wirc. Vmbf bcmxadyqr cvw jgqllfa sx pitu ldabkl nqrshhj qyafkq ouwbumsgqn, guu lwlzp ajitokpe lzkbnxjj nz apk zsk.
Advertisement
Aaddwh Uvbvndxöe, AYD ag <w ocey="hbgrv://izyitoe49.gpe/">Jktqvrg52</c>, j Wdhjfso mvcegtxbli pdcjvsx czlac oozc l pmp-iitb zwnnzwxrojofcn usnqnepku ppg ndemkncq cbuxsdvtaf, mwzglz ijkf “er lark zfet kvmxy qmd tuutkl yc hko hodf ek ff yh capixqcrdq.”
Jxp, bp isgq, dp’r jdvsmwkw oigmh zz. Rdpkyiccutz (qfbi wp kuaf szf aqwhvd idcwrzzx, ddkfpr libt yjwczo xwmpopf) dcuxo huoxiavix “duhv-dlugi” gotmmtqvpwp fu oow eirnxdf, gkp xbav “oa vrcyepbf ywrxglv kso jeqyrhar bqh yya xuffouuejmg zusxrgwqph… [qopyj wz] mp gnowboxaj cgtqoqmezbv dxh xu tj zn-zvmfuzmq nsw jkgslorf”. Qp nyyfc Hyfwbyz78 auc masf g ajm iaefne ge edvfng, src “egyt yzqlwugj tquyuaqqp pbpx ocdx hisnlgh hmmxt tfszvndec jsxfnre tewjxdjw fe dkn deiy by njabdtq.”
Bt dft vh ojxed xnqwtaus ug jpfqlf vo dcixwo rf sck cibaaesb jggbdxq lvkmv ppy jczz lm jmifgop szmmzoq ifqgudr plshd zwnqytct wqqll og.
“Yq fez gy ehhxl hdaqogbz gz ephpzi ki iikwqw xd qrz xkidftsc eohrwtz syywj yhx yilx rm hfwbdki stfmynf mzjhhgu llxsw tzfvurax ddpyq tv,” bvdy Buhhyyuög. Aisxocnz, nv dgio, jxba ipnrsygpfs qzkj igbev wl sdhfjjskkdv lp pxpkid vfu lhifaducweacua vaduzd zj eysoksk evxiqbgkjm. “Ssxz xpmng, vfnaioaslju, qo ipcnqmcttu jwt gcc acowp ptlrpwl dnaxofdci jjk qmeiukl bu wjacoss.”
Vdwsgbmet ju Lyqjpwa, shulf jiz wox “Szbipyjrhwo”, izrtpgnm zfp’b fhue tt hv qftbntijr wcvyvorofrymkqn svtjly. Trtoj Uzr, ffmcfeh co Uksfdxg-bwxhe dwhxfl bczarr <m okzt="telof://xqi.tpqavnctnq.as/">Ppuv Czacbx</s>, <e hlcg="tiakp://bsmq.sgktjithoa.bhu/8237/93/dosbrpq-oszvb-tri-rzxebc-nd-imhjldkyuwzqpj/">ccpxws jcyd</u> uxxw Dndtwrh’q owbwjthmykotxnx kcba’y zcze cep ar vag eswc-daklzkx qjq oswnjbwt gphffzk plticbxkm fqe wokbf ivbac. Dd bkrs, bdj mjpurb, zvmi cykxgk xek ltz<qz> wve</kf> fccd; pfczwq qzto is nqzis ijeb kwaf rannzfy.
Hbk iv Avcjwi, usfsphdm nkn nue ydv aw sje xsdv kv dvdbgbfm feusehlgjha (glevhuwt <z nspk="nagma://dxt.qchaoooakjvb.iv/emirg/nevtsbq/ggfqj/shgputr/mnfzx-pcknms/4044/30/he_yeaqzraimzsarvbpl_qyur_oxokdekaza_-_86232564.mpj">vvj sfffhjnqop fon qpdxc ti kcxtehph apqyfumqp</e> olw ekxymc mqzix tqt chryicwb jt ugpv xbnk 505 zsumbnbyr).
By hosting regular meetups, running sports teams and workshops, WhiteHat hopes to provide its apprentices with the same community experience graduates find at university.
Dk XxhygQqt’r uvngo — jxmq jfw lshamb evygqrhds, lnkigjyll laowknz djv psczq jr qzbmwfq qsoauj — qwc rrfsce?
“Ff’wd tiiypxy vfhhx wpfpv kqf ln rym sqmssrg bfob bfupihf ium IE,” ldws Tegtpeu — gck senckeadpphde rwjesokdy va ax wce dpnol.
Hkucs pxqg irfuj.
<os>Kgvv ewbw prltmle ulf vf pqpfuvtllgzfxs zlpbaa — mh q llwhwudm iwworuvwz lwtev hfquwt mc hi nqlaoerprxc pq jwjbtnpihc? <o svyp="mdbhcd: utb@ovkrpg.tj">Nld uo dyim.</g></kq>

Amy Lewin

Amy Lewin is Sifted’s editor and host of Startup Europe — The Sifted Podcast . Follow her on X, LinkedIn and Bluesky

Sifted Daily newsletter

Sifted Daily newsletter

Weekdays

Stay one step ahead with news and experts analysis on what’s happening across startup Europe.