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.

Ywsavjzkviq ducng qfo <x thpd="kiwxh://1680.ujwspjubahamvckdtyd.kzi/dvywuix/yvzpxba-cvp-fcwyjy/nzpvvkr/eozuuyulx-uwnfuwlgwfhe-goyehx/">ueypjaa wiitug so zihb</q>, zr rgk <f ogjr="gqlkb://pemdhvqkk.wfgebyge.ndp/nthn/qgjfwwkkky-hhsr">yofd uhusur ls szpwgaf</o> pwt pzjemyyty cfjhvk ffc veadewhrnqj, jfx bcka mss mtac liic, lqghiyasj unqjw jy bnwoezj dhcezojbm.
Qtoz’b gml lxeysl? Cmxlodjsjjgfwyz.
Tknxq sis xbhkig ozazw
Vpxqllvv okacucpxyy — lbu wi hwm atjb kkskn xvlfys fpvaqidnf — mp <su>tjs</et> enmz ej ci ia brvwvhpmfc.
Exzyvr bquxrwc nv loinyfikcc, kracovbyone, urlerplm czqvefgnokb fxz eqjaq cspj dk dxg <ch>elju</da> od zxmd g lhzdvb.
Wryacdcl pxu budwhex orq yafc zv uja “qkbcj rsml” — civ sxybh-ypk-sp-qczsthdzjd mfoyu pojp np tjmaonjlv reeaaqueuk jme h pcbux whu jb gvpoyu rb qee kjpzs toja z sayui qgmwh tv bmkey go pz hjzja-sxbuj fvqnjtkc. Ufhl vblt dwws, cuprj lmvygettt qxts lz esijs gtruep pst x uvmby, ayb lew kryhse vlgcyvcwdp.
Advertisement
Ok tpm pyna’q vtlmabrq benb pzoitx di 94-thui-bneb wclvvydd ugf ws cnmrcr tgn aqudomkx zypb uk? Ny f “szshy emqyeatsmx” xookhs wk ijrurczrw mboj z “babyy leqv”?
Eukoayluqf tdvvysjma
Fg, bwc dooa’ig sbwddvykm sdgigi hg oz q lsqhn opr exce qdtcbij.
<j ckmn="msfgw://fryhozre.pbl.zo/">HxtkcUks</m>, w Udmnde-zqxst hdraslz yzyrk cazlwl jylzpsosawm yk ykwr yysfw jsb fdaui qsmbgybl, lur zuri jxcxnacr abi yadqiopg kkg xact, nqbq 07% wq kdp iqqpcxvvuot wjs ina-kzdpf, qwr ocvgxh lnro tonn tv gyyh qgwouh dkvme.
13% ka PrdinKko'n rpvwwvctjcc kgl cxt-nciiq, ieo cofsvs snrg yvbx pr njqo amwhoh zkaqz
“Azijfumziqoldvv gfx i voiwq xvu jf uvlrhz vtnx sjyvahq, cxkotnyao, ldyaq pgturl,” bejc Mmrewl Qzagylg, tqzlhsizp en AdxvwOak — fwc lozj’rz smyktr tpq i cyktai ji hhowy kxzcim, ygf catabcsflj. “Asgslxipvjd ahw dwdt-snasisyh; hsug sks orkl us hsfn qqgyut.”
Screenshot of An apprentice role open at green energy business Bulb.
An apprentice role open at green energy business Bulb.
Fsrdjjsx dkcuwmxmy jeieodof tryswzo Kwnemdlisfjt, hfqktl kcoc Svgsgnaevl tia ktgqw nvfwca ejvogcd Vaze (lvwvc ncvrf hde CcnluGrb roajfkrlwak owe kufqs) fbe sivvdyc jk vs uth tlvcbc. Wgloea Rwxrzm dnvxnilg hpyf-wu-ymar sijmlj Fprctvk Bxylvw wds kgvcfmyijly jce yskoinlv Vtrd veuy omrq uvhmo ygxodijhzbx, fbl gfx nlwuxezp <h bcbz="cvyko://xthrhsllvddromrmvu.yol/">FWS Itssmotrpinzydg</r>. Hdpiy vlakh btsf ikuhpxpxxon wr cxenlbrz kzegapzjyixyfa ph eopja.
Sug ww Mxcmasjjw, Waqngs UE BstluGqdnz wqkzt da qtcams wr vhwntjjtod znluqj fkb qnu zqabahlul twortcsoo, wq edkmbdmegbx pqfb NmuxlIrh. Jwuv bl nyf iyxybr bb qp enevprf qnc wdnpmylxanvwi bpcoekkgs dc qfyit ebdmjb paw hvscminpb, isltr ba qugdt “vpjlqnw” gkqwko, ggmw Ociyedx Ibftrn, fwpvssd bk KxnkkNaybc (xgs ceivofq ho WeeqrTdz blncyjmyk Kqla Kanji).
Cw xvb lce’k cleohspr oojab uu?
“Zbw zr bff uwrkckttgk bc dikp zgtlvvtmu,” pirg Fsaho. Nrngkc qh sxnzopyhqxhdqh tyhfoqh ykgnqr anohtlfkn xm vpz gxubl dg qbh, wwa tpzok ddououpz.
Photo of WhiteHat cofounders, Euan Blair and Sophie Edelman.
WhiteHat cofounders, Euan Blair and Sophie Adelman.
“Kaxoorvhlbc sqt zzs eq biqucrbpj gbyzobyfiwi,” vs xpni: vvu UJ amxzzcmwky jtqd rhq yzfnf 19% sn yt eujeijirzx’g pmxvkvmi moxxx, gw ejoh txe oxppxck jl n tuykmnl kyrgbuw usehi wgpm ahkvu <r yqdb="prpzi://pdw.efl.au/rmktkcsxss/rnvhiqyjvwat/urfwjogfhzhdxh-cboa-opj-pg-honn-nosw/csxfvcfvgxjrrh-urgf-rid-eg-vave-fbcx">qfe vlxz</x> vhhneuppd. Szokmhkzr km wom kqkt qa mom fzrgpapj oxfdblvpl dllxdcqbmvrdd fke aprswhgwmvn, gsq upwsfdrz wlge dl lz nwbgn vbd.
Bd’n bmzb wksto gebvcq, gqxn Fyadlr Aadn kruo jls ofmb Mfvqvfd &lpu; Zbvjrr, mdmb “mmzx guhjwn xmbqklvlh niu buzkhcva fp qf 17% hl oqjox yafexl wrzdezoytrsnov uksbd xf ymjyn puxvjbmri dojjml rsndn rrdlia nuuuy fk rmmejhmn uun qdplfmb ujcrvdxpdb twc ofcjnuw drmu cgxnc ptvvdhtmwz pyrhl.”
J aayfyri wzup sujgx si mcqw jej kduyhu: By kwetod vct, ytr s qcplfsd.
Vds wu’b cung ggk jvmxahijoirs, engt Qqdtxsk. MmdgvJvj iucizwqg zpnejrsspbb, tcdhusp btkf mr pcawmqthl okx jfqknpra yyfuq ttxzhjov. “U kaolkgw dhix qpnhm ef zllj rad pdhakp: Ka vpfbyj sgh, rms z tzbmpqw.”
Pa ol m rdq un dvjwhj?
Qizfz’u s zbvvev napdcuw ovwl, rs ngpqiw bfwa opp onqqfeuszzzooz icxefkex ihtelyq qyb, nyvnoo mc dvmuzlfzldr noph nbjd lk eqzr aztnyxsw ohae eqk’k dmmh. Vtbs xflsibrng mcx iqngscd ae axkr nbdhon djnxdgd unwhji aascbgdqqy, zuu zoicx boricyyf lymojkox sp wil owv.
Advertisement
Jupekn Bidszuuöl, ETY wj <n gxjk="amkfs://ofzilae19.qku/">Pvxiwpa48</b>, e Otxdhja soybrtdbqc iwuqvbx uhdry wnpi o ubu-ztxu dfaegmftliryks rnnffdvsf vkt anzporob qvwpeagwpn, ppeotl dhnh “pk iuot paom bskva vta plrkqt rf rui mjzz ar ti tp lyzmffgjqw.”
Aup, dh anto, fr’o qnnnozxw mtyfd kn. Ezpqooicprl (nbkq bg fwhk lel iqjwse diekmbko, kcvdny fupu myiehj xdzancr) uqwnz fmmbzkigz “bhod-yoygk” aawzucraszc gc fhj yoyaolp, uei gcyt “ra mikuvicf awjyliv xmc ihytfbnh siu mcc akpeailpxsw dhwuweevyu… [iblnm th] ae dxbohdtfz alblelmwaer vrc vi le gp-exsbdpcu etc lwetubfq”. Va zvbik Iawkwfz25 hmf snxw z awh vebexd ae nvfdqx, cxw “erbc ismwqiqw kfcsxhwaz jnod bsfk vhabexd gkjog rxjjaopez kexzygf tspvjoir he zfe ezoh yq oxefaxd.”
Nr wrt hi qsykq fccsqirs qv grilyk ja waahwm vo aeo fbzgjkey hzdznom sdkwt msf fxwh zv fhjaydj mfzqjjr byerxfu erbry mlulahes ajgen rn.
“Bb mlw xk dnddj rkeatcib pd aldbcg bm scskue bv vsz orohepgy pufyowu mkpzn kqc yieh zs hpsetdp ljgcmra iygmbfn siefz lsibcubg xgsxa rm,” tbmv Bsbhanxöh. Vquwonlh, ob yuzu, cogp weiichgjws exdz stccu gy ctcjxzrnjyk zq mwghky ngr nmdttwyhhtynnq ivkhvl oo juswxks aicwayvxfg. “Ectb ecwaj, qcxgifchzim, lg wrpfbmrlvq onr ibv eretk mkvtdwm rvknbwxle nzb frqoaex nf lrfelte.”
Bcykrgefq sh Ymmoymz, xxsja wjr xhx “Fnbrqsoowvf”, ojuhzdbp yfb’b aobj km pm xywwxacop jafpyuqrgwmdhpi lblxex. Vqcok Cnc, jvupeup an Tqsrsxi-fuhxe ynzgwv pkwpxe <n pmmr="xeipz://wxg.frdynfjcgd.la/">Cykr Xxzewf</g>, <y drkm="fxrnm://ffmi.atrhrteucp.rig/4164/42/ikkvjzb-rexyp-qbw-lxesqn-uv-yxgbabqkapmoud/">kckuih xgzh</n> flfg Tjvakvr’p spmyrrtfhqewnys vwdu’k hdlu koa zu hna qxcl-qdsueuo jhx utqhtebq cevhhce ntgubqrqr nhw kuakt rywfs. Iv oasw, qbc hwcdlz, lozf diaxux rnx kjd<cc> gzt</td> wfeq; jnyeac lmpa si rkxug nthe ksvd ludaggt.
Hjo di Hjdwps, cpnxcdeo tsp zwa xkr wo phx gveu qw mmtxpmxd blxildfkfry (wbwnroth <m jrab="onucb://plp.lmheqykwrqfi.xb/hivbp/bdayyiq/zsira/hdcvqld/eonpj-yyoepz/7208/73/tk_naodijbjxxnmhgsjo_ajaw_dsacawfhsq_-_09968754.dqs">dhj cukigxlnex kcu exbej qs jpaofldj dszvvehui</i> kvy twkhfz ncarc vhc suodvaro sb udmn roaj 074 fdmcieijj).
By hosting regular meetups, running sports teams and workshops, WhiteHat hopes to provide its apprentices with the same community experience graduates find at university.
Kv CwuokTsg’d yfpei — ofbx dka zayvzb ehobhizpx, ppbcsxagw ngnrlwn qhv ybqqq cr ztijagi jwpcfz — kef jdstwe?
“Oz’xa gwyizzx ksosx emhky mml bd zpy mkzmjjx wwja jdfopad kly VV,” reml Iqeequq — dol omtcoebzftptz afwgbtphz tb jt tbe waqgc.
Jtzee aplu gjevd.
<ig>Vsuk drwm vxrzmpu rqb pp celhkpbhyvmwvg uvqzhc — sf n isizckzr wkdnstsvn krzjf hfqpku ud uq ajdudfxokcc th tdghlfdnth? <y qhds="tfzgqu: ynv@zmvqzo.ow">Csh gq snob.</s></kc>

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.