After our first apprentices joined the sales-i family in November 2017, we have since welcomed two more to the company. George Cartwright and Lee Dugmore have joined us as Helpdesk Analyst and Customer Success apprentices respectively.
We are delighted to be able to support two local students with real-world experience to supplement their studies, giving them the opportunity to apply their skills in a business environment. George and Lee are getting the hands-on ‘real life’ experience so many young apprentices crave in a professional environment.
George Cartwright, Apprentice Helpdesk Analyst
George has been with us since November 2018 and has been immersed in the support function of our business, answering support calls and live chats from customers with a professionalism that is second to none.
Asked about his experience so far, George said: “So far, it has been great, I have been getting on really well. I have learnt the majority of the ropes quickly thanks to my colleagues and our trainers. As an apprentice, I am gaining the experience to apply what I am studying (as opposed to studying in college for 2 years and then going into a job role) and this will also provide me with skills that I can apply to my everyday life, such as communication, professionalism and a greater understanding of businesses.
“I believe the most important of these is the hands-on experience that an apprenticeship provides, it provides me with experience that I can apply to my courses at college, allowing me to advance quickly compared to without a job placement.”
Tony McGuinness, Head of Customer Boarding is George’s line manager and has been impressed with the level of commitment and maturity George has shown: “George has added remarkable confidence and maturity to the support function we offer our customers at sales-i. George regularly receives highly positive feedback from our UK and US customers – who are often unaware of how new he is to the team.
“George and his predecessors who progressed internally from apprentices to professional positions within sales-i, are proof of the value apprentices add to organisations. Time well spent by employers, and good apprenticeship providers like the LMPQ IT Academy in Birmingham, make the entire process incredibly valuable to our business.”
Lee Dugmore, Customer Success Apprentice
Despite having only been with us for less than a month, Lee has already settled into his role as a Customer Success Apprentice.
“Working at sales-i has been a great experience so far and I am settling in really well with my colleagues. I love the work because every day is different, and I get to learn new skills. At the end of my apprenticeship, I am hoping to become a Customer Success Executive (CSE) with sales-i. From partaking in this apprenticeship I can see how the company works and gain hands-on experience dealing with both customers and internal teams,” Lee says.
Tom Toikkanen, Head of Customer Success is grateful for the extra pair of hands on his growing team and is a huge advocate of apprentice programs: “Apprentices are an integral part of our teams. The benefits are clear and mutual, we get apprentices who are willing to learn new skills that we require whilst developing themselves constantly. At the same time, our apprentices get trained using the most up-to-date tools and software and gain a big advantage compared to traditional training. By the end of their apprenticeship not only have they got a qualification, hands-on experience on the latest tools but also that ever important work experience.”
We are excited to have George and Lee onboard and look forward to watching them progress and develop in their roles.
