Connecting Education with the Community

Young people are getting connected in the world of work through Sussex Downs College, who work in partnership with local companies to deliver apprenticeships, benefitting both the student and the wider business community…

Sussex Downs College students are benefitting from the strong partnerships that the College has developed with local companies, and to mark National Apprenticeship week, the students are speaking out about their experiences. From November 2015, local telecoms provider, Cavendish Communications embraced apprenticeship schemes, taking on three apprentices: Michael Parris and Chantelle Perrault, aged 17 in Sales and Holly Rowsell, aged 18 in Engineering.

Mark Hollands, Sales Manager at Cavendish explained why they have taken on apprentices: “We decided to bring in a young generation of enthusiastic and passionate individuals to create a vibrant and exciting team. With all of our staff under one roof, we offer a wholly supportive learning environment for anyone looking to gain an all-round experience of the industry, and we wanted to give young people in our surrounding community this chance.”

For Holly, the apprenticeship route was a logical one. She says: “I’ve always wanted to pursue a career in ICT, and I looked into apprenticeships after receiving careers advice. I have always found learning hands-on works best for me and this apprenticeship ticked all the boxes.”

Mark worked closely with the Business Development team at Sussex Downs College in hiring the apprentices, from initial meetings and advertising the posts, through to the interviews, so he feels the support they give is second to none. Alongside working at Cavendish Communications, the apprentices also complete coursework, working closely with College tutors, who support them every step of the way.

Chantelle comments: “Sussex Downs College has provided me with a great opportunity. The teachers have been informative, supportive and professional.”

As is the consensus across the board, Michael Parris urges anyone to consider an apprenticeship, explaining: “The apprenticeship scheme offered me the perfect chance to get the experience and qualification I need to launch my career in sales. Seriously consider an apprenticeship; it gets you working in your chosen industry with companies who want both experience and qualifications from their employees.”

Eastbourne accountancy firm, Humphrey & Co. started implementing apprenticeship schemes in 2012 after changes in University fees led them to realise quality students might opt for apprenticeships rather than degrees. Since then, they have taken on two apprentices a year and, in 2015, Humphrey & Co. employed two Sussex Downs College students: twins Lucas and Marco Belim, both 19 years old. Humphrey & Co. Partner, Paul Potter, said: “When we employed our first apprentices, Sussex Downs College was the logical provider of choice as they are local to us and offered the required AAT courses which other colleges were not running at the time.”

The brothers applied for the positions at Humphrey & Co. during their last year at the College where they were studying Business and Accounting. Marco, who is based in the dental/medical team at Humphrey & Co said: “We already knew from our AAT Level 2 Lecturer that university wasn’t a necessity if you wanted to get into the accounting profession. On top of that, the increased costs of studying a university degree made an apprenticeship the natural progression route after finishing college.”

Lucas, who is working in the General Practice team, added: “It meant that we could continue working towards our professional qualification whilst gaining valuable, on-the-job experience at the same time, without any debt at the end of it!”

Marco and Lucas have also felt thoroughly supported by Sussex Downs College throughout the entire process, from application to interview. Marco says: “Our Business lecturer carried out mock interviews with us so we could practise our interview skills. This was invaluable to us both and we are so grateful for that.”

When asked what advice they would give to someone looking into apprenticeships, Lucas and Marco have the following message: “Go for it! An Apprenticeship is a great experience that will put you in good stead when it comes to breaking into your chosen career path. The most important thing is to do your research – carefully. Don’t just settle for the first position that comes along; you have to be sure that the company you are applying to is a good fit for you, as the likelihood is that they will be doing exactly the same thing when they are looking at your application.”

Equally, companies working with Sussex Downs College have been delighted with the success and ease of the overall process. David Moorat, Managing Director at Cavendish, says: “We have all been very pleased with the way the apprentice programme has developed; there are so many positives to take out of it, in particular the added energy it has created within our existing staff. I would highly recommend the programme to any growing business.”

As for Humphrey & Co., Paul says they will continue taking on apprentices. “The apprenticeship scheme is an excellent alternative to recruiting graduates, independent of any possible financial funding benefits. Apprenticeship schemes help to boost local employment and for us has promoted good relationships with Sussex Downs College who work closely with both the students and the employer to ensure the apprenticeship scheme benefits all those involved.”

Sussex Downs College would be delighted to hear from any businesses that would like to engage with the College and local business community through apprenticeships.

Please contact Rose Miller on 030 300 39474 or email rosemary.miller@sussexdowns.ac.uk if you would like to arrange a visit from an Account Manager to discuss your particular training needs.