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ACT member Balfe’s Bikes begins rolling out Cytech Apprenticeships across its stores.

ACT member Balfe’s Bikes has begun its plan to introduce Cytech apprentices to its stores and upskill existing staff through the Cytech training programme.

18 Sep 2023, more…

Canadian Cytech Training Partner visiting Scotland to advise on careers in adventure tourism

The team from Whistler Adventure School (WAS), which recently became the only centre in Canada accredited to offer Cytech technical three, is to deliver a series of free sessions in Scotland,...

15 Sep 2023, more…

Cytech trainer back to training after providing mechanical support at UCI World Championships

Cytech training provider Spokes People were recently asked by the Afghan National Team if they could suggest any way for them to be supported mechanically at the UCI World Championships in...

24 Aug 2023, more…

Funded training available for Cycle Maintenance Apprenticeships

Fully funded training for school and college leavers is available for the Cycle Maintenance Apprenticeship for those under 19 years of age at the start of the apprenticeship.

9 Aug 2023, more…

Dates announced for Giant-specific Cytech e-bike courses.

Giant UK has partnered with Activate Cycle Academy and the Association of Cycle Traders (ACT) to provide a Cytech technical e-Bike qualification.

11 Jul 2023, more…

Whistler Adventure School becomes the only centre in Canada accredited to offer Cytech technical three

Cytech, the internationally recognised training and accreditation scheme for bicycle technicians, has announced that Whistler Adventure School (WAS), a private career training institution in...

3 Jul 2023, more…

Giant Collaborate with ACT and Activate Cycle Academy to offer Giant specific Cytech e-bike qualification

Giant UK have partnered with Activate Cycle Academy and the Association of Cycle Traders (ACT) to provide a Cytech Technical e-Bike qualification

16 Jun 2023, more…

Bike for Good’s improved Cytech traineeship for women and non-binary people proving successful

A new and improved traineeship programme for women and non-binary people being implemented by  Bike for Good, which delivers Cytech training in Scotland, is proving successful.

15 Jun 2023, more…

Cytech training provider Spokes People to deliver workshops at National Cycling Show 2023, opening this Saturday 17th June

Lee & Darren from Spokes People, one of Cytech’s UK training providers, are attending the National Cycling Show this weekend and will be delivering various workshops and sessions for...

14 Jun 2023, more…

Get yourself a free ticket to the National Cycling Show with V12

ACT partners V12 Finance, who are headline sponsors for this year’s National Cycle Show, have an allocation of free tickets that they would like to share with you!

31 May 2023, more…

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ACT member Balfe’s Bikes begins rolling out Cytech Apprenticeships across its stores.

Posted on 18 Sep 2023

ACT member Balfe’s Bikes has begun its plan to introduce Cytech apprentices to its stores and upskill existing staff through the Cytech training programme.

Balf's mechanic

Luke Simpson recently joined the company’s Kingston Store as a Cytech apprentice through Activate Learning, which Dave Maynard, Area Manager for Balfe’s Bikes, says is already having a positive impact. He says that will introduce new apprentices into its busiest stores first; stores which have the size, but which may also have had a challenge recruiting mechanics up until now.

“It is great for us to have Luke as we had been struggling to find good mechanics for our Kingston store. This has enabled us to get someone in, help develop them, and get them quickly up to speed,” Dave says.

“We saw an opportunity whilst we were looking at upskilling all our colleagues through the Cytech scheme to also do the Apprenticeship Scheme. We will be introducing this over this coming winter to most of our stores, so that when we go into summer next year, with colleagues already developing their skills.

Not only is it fundamental to the service we provide for our customers, it also gives people who don’t have any experience but want to get into the industry a path that they can follow.”

Separately, though, the company is planning to elevate the skill level across it its estate, as Dave explains:

“We decided very early in the year to identify all the mechanics in all our stores, finding that maybe only ten were Cytech-trained. So, we have made it our mission to get all our mechanics trained up to Cytech Level Two and those that already are at that level, to get them up to Cytech Level Three. We also are developing our shop floor team to have at least a minimum of Cytech Level One and move them up to Cytech Level Two in the longer term.”

“We think it’s fantastic that Balfe’s are investing in getting all staff theory one trained, including their shop staff,” says Jonathan Harrison from ACT. “We would certainly urge other retailers to consider doing likewise, especially as it only costs £62.50 for ACT members.”

And as for Luke, who Dave Maynard describes as “a great team player”, he isn’t only working in the workshop, he also on the shop floor selling bikes, as well as building them and fixing them.

“It is a very enjoyable position that, whilst oftentimes incredibly busy,  is very rewarding,” says Luke.

“The support is always more than adequate from the team around me allowing me to succeed in every aspect of work. It doesn’t come without its stresses, but the workshop is a great place to be; from repairing childhood favourites to building the latest and greatest models.

Weekends add an element of “fun” to the shop floor, always being on your feet makes the days fly. The training is invaluable and will enable me to soon progress inside the company.”

Kingston store manager Wes Swaffer adds:

"Having an apprentice for a long term initially felt like daunting prospect, and quite the commitment. But the experience and assistance I've had with from Luke has been invaluable.

His drive and work ethic has been amazing. He loves being part of our team and fully understands our customer and business goals.  He's always willing to stay till the jobs done. Is always ready to learn and develop new skills.  Luke is a pleasure to work with."

Cytech, the provider of the internationally recognised training and accreditation scheme for bicycle technicians, is owned by the UK cycle industry via the ACT. Since being developed over 30 years ago, over 25,000 Cytech technical training courses have been delivered with courses encompassing the basics of cycle mechanics right through to dealing with the most advanced and high-tech components and parts.