Vicki started working at Heart of England Training at the age of 17 as an apprentice within the recruitment team at our Coventry training academy…and 17 years later, she still loves every minute!
Her training/assessing role began with delivering ‘entry to employment’ programmes and pre-16 courses, before progressing to level 2 and 3 qualifications. Vicki was Academy Manager at our Coventry centre (previously on Broadgate) for customer service and administration courses, and was then an Internal Quality Assurer for administration courses.
After having her son, Vicki is now an External Educator for apprentices undertaking qualifications within administration, customer service, team leadership and marketing, as well as school business managers and teaching assistants.
Vicki has seen first-hand how apprenticeships have grown in popularity. “Uni wasn’t for me,” said Vicki, whose family wanted her to progress to university. “My apprenticeship opened-up doors for me.”
What she loves about her job is helping learners to succeed and to achieve their potential; watching them develop and progress in their roles. The most rewarding element for Vicki is supporting young people, and she has seen quite a few of her learners employed at Coventry City Council go-on to complete university degrees and become social workers.
The new blend of remote and in-person delivery of training is “a good mixture”, said Vicki, explaining that her learners have adapted well and that it hasn’t held anyone back.
Vicki champions apprenticeships because they give people an opportunity to earn whilst studying and to develop specific knowledge and skills for a particular role.
On a personal note, Vicki does a really good Halloween pumpkin!
