Made at HRC Case Studies

Bradley is a Motor Vehicle apprentice at Bespoke Performance.

Where do you work?

Bespoke Performance are TVR, Noble, classic car and Mazda RX-8 specialists. They provide a range of services including sales, service, repair and restoration & refurbishment.

Why did you choose an apprenticeship?

Doing an apprenticeship has meant I haven’t been thrown in the deep end. My employer has been supportive; letting me find my feet, not rushing me too much but giving me a gentle push and encouraging me to do better. They have also helped me to buy tools; giving me a loan for example

What do you do at Bespoke Performance?

My main responsibilities are servicing cars, packing away and opening up. It’s quite busy. Some mornings I take 20 cars out of the workshop. Because it is a small business we also work on other things, such as building brackets for the walls. It’s all useful.

What do you enjoy the most?

My apprenticeship has been quite fun. I enjoy test drives the most; going out once I’ve worked on a car, fixed something like a poor running issue and noticing I’ve made it better and it’s running really well - that’s what gives me satisfaction.

What have you learnt from your apprenticeship?

It’s been a positive experience. I’ve managed to learn whilst working. My employer understands I can’t know everything yet and that’s ok. The college side is like a normal course but part-time. I was shy when I first started at Bespoke, and now my confidence has improved since I started my apprenticeship. I’ve gained a lot of confidence.

What would you say to anyone thinking of an apprenticeship with HRC?

Tutors at college have been very helpful. If you need them they are there. They give any time I need, any answers I need. I can call them up if I need something.

Click here to find out more about apprenticeships.

Nick is an Engineering apprentice at Pope and Meads Ltd.

Where do you work?

Pope and Meads Ltd. is a Precision Engineering Company which specialises in high accuracy, high complexity machinery and precision assembly.

Why did you choose an apprenticeship?

I finished my A-Levels and looked at the options open; I compared university and apprenticeships. I think these days the skills you learn on an apprenticeship are a lot more valued; you’ve got work experience as well as learning, rather than just a degree at the end of it all.

What do you do at Pope and Meads?

I enjoy that there are a variety of tasks; from machining to finishing to assembly - it’s a different thing every day, rather than the same repetitive boring process.

What do you enjoy the most?

One thing I was quite excited about was when I was working down in the milling section and I had a job that needed a very high tolerance limit of +/- 5 microns (a thousandth of a millimetre). It was challenging for me as an apprentice, but putting the skills to the test and managing to get it spot on was something else!

What have you learnt from your apprenticeship?

Pope and Meads is a successful company, so the skills I’m learning are valued across the engineering industry. They are also very welcoming – everyone is more than happy to help and show me the tips of the trade. At college I’ve learnt quite a bit on the health and safety side and all the essential basics for a workplace nowadays.

What would you say to anyone thinking of an apprenticeship with HRC?

“Go for it!” A lot of companies will appreciate the work experience later on in life. Also, it’s fairly relaxed at college. We have specialised tutors so any queries we’ve got are solved really quickly.

Click here to find out more about apprenticeships.

George is an Engineering apprentice at Kemlows Diecasting Products Ltd.

Where do you work?

Kemlows supply fully finished castings to a range of industries from Automotive and Electronics to Medical; across the UK, Europe and U.S.

What do you do at Kemlows?

My main responsibilities day-to-day are setting up the machines, running the machines, making sure they are running smoothly and adjusting settings on the cutters.

What do you enjoy the most?

My experience of my apprenticeship has been great, I’ve really enjoyed it so far. I just enjoy learning so much at the moment and getting the chance to work on these machines. I was one of the first to work on the Spinner CNC machine – it’s Kemlow’s most complex machine and it’s been a real pleasure; there’s so much to learn, I’ve learnt most of it but not all yet - I’ll get there! My favourite aspect of my apprenticeship so far would probably be working on the CAD. The OneCNC programme is just so new, it’s easy for me to use, and it just clicks.

What have you learnt from your apprenticeship?

I’m constantly learning on my apprenticeship; I’m given new responsibilities all the time so I’m learning different fixtures and settings. The college and my employer have helped me get to grips with all these things. At college half of it is practical and half of it is theory; most of the time we are in practical now.

What would you say to anyone thinking of an apprenticeship with HRC?

“Don’t give up. Keep going.” The support I’ve received from the college and my employers has been fantastic. It’s nothing but good. Always supporting me, always pushing me to go further.

“George has been extremely keen, extremely willing to learn, he’ll put himself out. If there is extra work to be done he’ll come in early to do it so he can see the process. He’s interested in the machines and the casting side of it, he’s shown enthusiasm throughout – so it’s great.”

Geoff Eustace, Technical Director, Kemlows Diecasting Products Ltd. (former HRC apprentice)

Click here to find out more about apprenticeships.

Ellie Graffato, Marketing apprentice at Hertford Regional College is currently studying a Level 3 apprenticeship in Marketing.

She began her apprenticeship in September 2016, straight after finishing her A-levels at the Broxbourne School, where she studied Sociology, Media, Photography and Applied Business at AS Level.

The process

Many of Ellie’s friends had chosen and completed an apprenticeship as Ellie says, “my school arranged sessions from apprentices and employers to inform and guide us with our next steps”. Following this Ellie knew she didn’t want to go to university and began to look into her options. After contacting HRC in search for an apprenticeship, Ellie went through a pre-assessment process, which involved the HRC apprenticeship team interviewing Ellie to decide which apprenticeship vacancies best suited her.

The perfect option

An apprenticeship was “the perfect option” for Ellie as “I was definite that I didn’t want to go to university, but I also didn’t feel ready to jump in the deep end with a normal full time job. I knew that an apprenticeship would give me the opportunity to earn money whilst gaining a qualification, along with experience.”

Choosing the right career path

Ellie had always been unsure of what she wanted to do in the future; “I always liked the idea of working in an office environment and a Business Admin role seemed like something I could do and progress in but, having always been creative, I wanted a role where I could use this within my work. Marketing had always interested me and I became more aware of it whilst studying Media for my A-Levels, which lead me to consider it as a career path.”

Responsibilities

Ellie’s responsibilities and day-to-day tasks consist “of posting and scheduling social media content, working and supporting on campaigns, writing copy for internal promotions, co-ordinating events and managing budgets..”

Overcoming challenges

Particular challenges that Ellie has faced within her marketing role include “copy creation and writing within the corporate college style. I also found myself getting stressed during busy periods at work, but my employer helped me to overcome this by sitting down with me to discuss my priorities and time management. Once I had reviewed and prioritised my work list to make it more realistic, I instantly felt better.”

Invaluable experience

For Ellie “the best way to learn is by doing and seeing and during my time at work I have learned so much. The experience I have gained has been invaluable and, along with the opportunities I have been given, have helped me to develop and grow.” Ellie would recommend apprenticeships because “they give you the opportunity to get your foot in the door, learning on the job, gaining experience and a qualification whilst being paid.”

Moving forward

Ellie hopes to achieve her ‘Level 3 in Marketing’ and progress within her Marketing career. HRC will continue to support Ellie on her journey to ensure that she manages to reach her future destination.

Click here to find out more about apprenticeships.

Ryan, Accountancy apprentice at HB Accountants in Hoddesdon won Apprentice of the Year Award – Accounting’ at our annual ‘Celebration of Success’ apprenticeship awards in March 2017. He is currently studying AAT Level 4 having already achieved Levels 2 & 3.

Place of work

HB Accountants are a medium-sized accountancy firm based in Hoddesdon and have been providing financial services and business advice since 1921. There currently have four Accounting apprentices who study at HRC for 1 day per week for their AAT. A number of those will then be selected to become chartered, with the firm offering them a training contract and paying for study and exams for 3-4 years to reach chartered status.

Getting into work

Ryan chose to become an apprentice because he wanted to “get into work. The thought of getting a head start on my career made my decision a lot easier. As an apprentice, I could earn money and study at the same time. The experience I get at work I can use towards my studies and vice versa. I do not have to worry about getting a job after studying, as I am set up to working in the industry. The benefits of becoming an apprentice are endless.” Before becoming an apprentice, Ryan achieved a Level 3 Diploma in Business Studies at HRC.

The apprenticeship process

Before being offered his apprenticeship, Ryan first went through an interview process at the college. “I had an interview with the apprenticeship team and also had to take an accountancy test (AAT greenlight test). The college gave my CV to the company, who then offered to give me an interview. The interview consisted of an aptitude test followed by a face-to-face interview with the partners. I was later contacted by one of the partners who offered me the role as a trainee accountant.”

Gaining experience

Ryan says, “I have always wanted to start working after school” as "students leaving university struggle to find a job due to having no experience. Apprenticeships can set you up for getting into the industry you want to work in. If you are learning a trade, the best path to go down is becoming an apprentice".

Ryan's main responsibilities at HB Accountants include “getting involved with our audit clients as I have now taken on a more responsible role in the audit department, preparing an audit file for the partner to review. I also help the trainees in regards to any accounts/audit jobs. Every now and then I will also be in the office where I can do an accounts job. This involves contacting the client, producing a set of accounts and posting them to companies’ house. I am happy where I am now as I am always learning and gaining more experience. There is a tall ladder before I reach the top and I look forward to completing the journey.”

Aiming high

Ryan is aiming to achieve his Level 4 in AAT and “after I have completed this I will start my chartered exams under ACA. It takes 3 - 10 years to qualify as a Chartered Accountant.” In the future, Ryan would like to own his own business.

HRC will continue to support Ryan on his journey to ensure that he manages to reach his future destination.

Click here to find out more about apprenticeships.

Simona is a current Health and Social Care apprentice who works at a care provider called Quantum Care Ltd. They provide care to the elderly and are one of 26 homes in the group with 66 permanent employees based in Bushey Heath.

The journey

Simona first found out about apprenticeships through her current assessor Amanda Devlin and says that the processes before being offered an apprenticeship included “assessment days”.

Before Simona began her apprenticeship she was working in a full time job, as she previously lived in Romania where she attended an IT College from 1993 – 1997 before moving to England where she has now completed her “Level 2 Diploma in Health & Social Care 2015 and Level 1 Functional Skills in maths & English at Harrow College in 2016.

Building a career

Simona expects to achieve her “Level 2 Functional Skills in maths and English, Level 3 Diploma in Health & Social Care and Level 2 Technical Certificate in Health and Social Care.” Having chosen an apprenticeship to “improve my English skills, learn new things and build my career, I am hoping that my apprenticeship will help me to attend university.”

Responsibilities

Day to day duties that Simona is responsible for is “To provide quality care by attending to residents’ physical and personal needs including, washing, dressing, bathing, toileting, feeding and any other personal needs. I also assist with the distribution of medication and promote dignity, privacy and encourage the independence of residents.”

“Working in care is a challenge for me. Every day and every hour is different, being active and having the opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives makes me feel alive.”

Simona would recommend an apprenticeship “to everyone, because it is giving you the opportunity to improve yourself and build up your career.”

In the future, Simona plans to attend university to become a midwife.

HRC will continue to support Simona on her journey to ensure that she manages to reach her future destination.

Click here to find out more about apprenticeships.

Scott is an Engineering Apprentice at Replas Machinery Ltd, an injection moulding company based in Hertford who export to customers in the EU, Norway and China. They supply and support a wide range of businesses from small local companies to multinational organisations.

Making the right choice

Scott “chose an apprenticeship as I really enjoyed engineering and I wanted to go for a more practical path rather than university. The involvement with a company and industry seemed like a more attractive prospect than a more academic route.”

Having an impact

On a day-to-day basis, with it being a smaller company Scott does many different things: “machine operation, machine setting, material selection and even packing. You get to see a range of things; you understand and can see the wider business aspect rather than just what you do.”

Scott enjoys “being able to see a product that you’ve helped create go from material, through a machine, come out as a finished product and be packed to go to suppliers. I really feel like I’m having an impact.”

Exploring an industry

With an apprenticeship, “you learn a lot more in an industry rather than being in a classroom all the time; you get to see first-hand the skills you’re learning in college and you can apply it yourself. It gives you a range of other practical skills; problem solving and communication with peers and staff.”

Scott would say to anyone thinking of an apprenticeship to “really give it a good look”. It’s a great way to explore an industry, expand your skills and see where you want to take yourself in life.

HRC will continue to support Scott on his journey to ensure that he manages to reach his future destination.

Click here to find out more about our Engineering courses.

Ashley completed an Electrical apprenticeship at HRC several years ago and has since expanded his skill set to work in several industries.

Being inspired

During his time at the college, he was inspired by several members of staff who pushed him to always think outside of the box. For Ashley, his time spent at the college was an enjoyable one and he felt that he was listened to better than at school. He also learned from his tutors that if you put the work in you will get the results you want and that there are never problems; just solutions.

Moving on

Since leaving the college, Ashley has progressed into a career within the Electrical industry. He now works as an Electrical Supervisor with his own team of apprentices which gives him the opportunity to pass on the knowledge he gained at HRC to those starting out in the industry.

Expanding skills

However, this isn't the only industry in which Ashley has achieved great success. In his spare time, Ashley modifies and customises cars to high specifications. Most recently he completed a six-year customisation on a Fiesta alongside a friend, with every single element of the car having been customised with outside-the-box ideas. He has since been featured in Fast Car Magazine and Totally Modified Magazine.

Bethany is a Finance Administrator Apprentice at Solarplicity Ltd, one of the UK’s leading renewable energy providers based in Ware, Hertfordshire.

Bethany began her apprenticeship journey in 2016 and has now completed her level 2 qualification as a Finance Administrator. This year she is currently completing her level 3 apprenticeship qualification and recently won the Business Administration Apprentice of the year 2018 at HRC.

Starting out

Bethany initially found out about her apprenticeship through school. However, she also found our online vacancies system on the HRC website to be a very useful process in finding what she was looking for. Through the support of our apprenticeship team, she secured two interviews at Solarplicity and successfully secured the position as the new Finance Administration apprentice.

At first, “I didn’t know how to use any remote desktops as I had never used them before.” However, through the right support and training from the company, she was quickly put at ease and was soon carrying out her day-to-day duties of “opening and distributing the daily post, filing for the accounts department, creating the monthly invoices and other jobs that I am asked to do.”

Why an Apprenticeship?

Bethany believes “apprenticeships are great as you learn the skills you wouldn’t in college. It helped me grow as a person, and learn the life skills that you wouldn’t get by just going to college. I chose to do an apprenticeship because I liked the idea of having a job where you are learning real life skills whilst still earning a wage.”

Bethany’s employer Tina Turnbull adds that “apprenticeships are a valuable way for young people to gain workplace experience whilst continuing to learn. Used correctly an apprenticeship can lead to a career or further education aspirations, including university”.

Future goals

Alongside Bethany’s apprenticeship she is completing an online Interior Design course and hopes to become an interior designer, or to renovate buildings in the future.

Click here to find out more about our current apprenticeship vacancies, or to contact our apprenticeship team please call 01992 411572 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Zoe recently completed her Level 2 Apprenticeship in Business Administration working in Insurance for IMS London Ltd based in Broxbourne.

Starting out

Previously Zoe was working as a barista in Broxbourne but decided she wanted a new career route. After studying Level 2 and 3 in Beauty Therapy at HRC she got in contact with our apprenticeship team who more than happy to support her with this and helped her to find the right role to suit her. She was pleased to find out after her second interview that she got the position.

Apprenticeship route

Zoe now believes she is doing something she always wanted to do. The main duties in her day to day role include “admin work, speaking to my clients and creating quotations and policies” which is something she enjoys doing as she “always wanted to work in an office.”

Zoe trusts that this was the ideal path to start her career and with an apprenticeship, she is “learning and making money” at the same time. Apprenticeships “help you ease into a work life and you learn a lot going into college every week.”

Future Prospects

As Zoe enjoyed her experience as an apprentice, she has decided to pursue a career as an Insurance Broker and is currently working towards achieving her future aspirations.

Take a look at some of our current apprenticeships vacancies here or contact our apprenticeship team at 01992 411572 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to find out more.

Laurel has completed her Business and Administration L3 Apprenticeship as a Programme Assistant at Visionpath in Hoddesdon.

Visionpath is a talent and recruitment specialist based in Hoddesdon but working across the UK. Their mission is to help employers and young people become future-ready. Their programmes give students aged 16-19 new skills and opportunities for their future career, while helping employers to develop their leaders and connect with their future talent.

Getting in contact

After she finished her A Levels at school, Laurel went on to find a part-time job at Costa Coffee. Previously, Laurel had found out about Apprenticeships whilst she was still at school and the idea of one had appealed to her as “you can learn key skills whilst putting them into practice.” Laurel finds that she “performs better through hands-on learning” so an Apprenticeship was an ideal pathway for her. After doing some research, she “found the Apprenticeship advertised on an online service and the process was really easy, once I sent my application through I was emailed back so quickly.”

Laurel had “always wanted to get into Events Management and this job has so many aspects of that within it.”

Barriers

Initially, Laurel was nervous about applying for an Apprenticeship as she “lacked skills on the computer with software such as Excel and Publisher.” However, Apprenticeships offer a great amount of support to help learners develop their skills and gain confidence in doing so. Laurel also found at the start of her Apprenticeship that she “struggled with time management as I had a lot of tasks to complete, I prioritised some tasks and forgot about the others.” Laurel overcame this barrier with the help of “my employer and my work colleague who helped me and taught me techniques to be able to use the programmes easily, my manager also gave me a time management plan so that I could put my tasks into timeframes to ensure they all got completed.”

The role

The job has a “very varied role” so Laurel is constantly learning new skills. Her “main responsibilities differ depending on what main events are on at the time.” In job roles such as events management, the workflow can vary throughout the year. Laurel has various responsibilities including “helping with admin tasks, creating documents or editing them, helping to organise the programmes by coordinating attendees, contacting the host and liaising with everyone to make sure the day goes smoothly.”

Future prospects

“From January 2019 I will be starting my new role at Visionpath as Programmes & Partnerships Assistant, where I will be developing our network of school partnerships and continuing to help organise our programmes.”

Laurel has really enjoyed her time as an Apprentice, she said, “I would definitely recommend an Apprenticeship, it is a great platform for experience when you’re a school leaver as you will learn basic work skills and even skills that you thought you already had."

Employer Comments

“Apprentices are a vital part of our workforce at Visionpath. Our work involves upskilling young people for the workplace and helping employers to engage and recruit school-leavers into their organisations. Therefore, our own apprentices play a key role in being relatable to the young people we work with, demonstrating the value of apprentices to employers. For us, they bring energy, fresh ideas and new perspectives and it’s hugely rewarding to see them grow and develop with you.”

Patrick Philpott – Managing Director, Visionpath

To read more about Laurel's year as an apprentice, take a look at her Visionpath blog by clicking here.

If you are interested in becoming an apprentice or would like to find out more about what is available to you. Check out our apprenticeship vacancies here 😊