North Tower Consulting: Enabling diversity through apprenticeships

Issac Jowsey - Cyber Security Integrated Degree Apprenticeship

"I decided to become an apprentice because I didn't like to sound of the university approach. I felt I was much more practical and hands-on in my learning style and I found an apprenticeship where I could learn while developing my skills on the job.

"I do a lot of work on the internal IT systems and making sure that everything is running as it should while keeping the company secure from any potential cyber threats. 

"The way the course is structured means that during off-the-job training I'm at college. In this time, I have a lot of intensive lecturers where I'm taught the theory and foundations for my learning which is what I use to progress through my degree and at my company. 

"I'm really supported by my company in how they structure my work around my degree. They prioritise my learning as a core aspect of my career that I want to progress in.

"I like the freedom and responsibility the apprenticeship gives. It allows me to have this sort of healthy pressure put on me and it's up to me to control my career and my future. That's really important, so I find it motivates me to keep working towards this degree.

"After I finish my EPA, I want to continue working with my company and become more qualified in my career pathway and continue to progress myself. My main advice is to have the motivation beforehand before you even start your apprenticeship and show your interest because that is what is going to secure you a place within a company that's willing to support you."

Mohammad Najee - Software Developer Apprenticeship

"Before becoming an apprentice, I did my own research to go into a route that was more physical as well as maintaining an education and I found that an apprenticeship was perfect. 

"After my apprenticeship with North Tower Consulting, I was promoted to a Scrum Master as I wanted to go into a more managerial role but remain in a technical position. As a Scrum Master, I discuss with the developers what they've done and managing what they will be doing day to day. 

"The best thing about doing an apprenticeship was the doors that it opened for me career-wise and also how practical it was compared to the university. Doing an apprenticeship in the IT and computing science industry puts you in the centre of live projects and opens you up to continuous career progression."

Ella Whitehead - Business Administrator Level 3 Apprenticeship

"I originally did a degree then I had one of those moments where I saw this job was going, and they spoke to me about doing an apprenticeship. I didn't really know much about apprenticeships at first but I knew it would be a perfect fit for me.

"My job role is business support, so I help a lot of different departments. Every day is quite different. Normally I organise people's schedules and I'm always supporting HR or business services. 

"My manager is doing a higher apprenticeship so she has been very helpful with supporting me and understanding the difference in workload. Doing an apprenticeship is more secure than just doing university and hoping for something afterward because you're already working in the industry and learning on the job."

Fiona Wilson - HR and CIPD Level 3 Apprenticeship

"I chose to do an apprenticeship to get back into the workplace after having a 15-year gap and this seemed a great way to do that. I can be paid and learn at the same time. It's very flexible so that was the main reason I wanted to do an apprenticeship.

"I have friends and family that work in this industry and they recommended North Tower Consulting as a company for apprenticeships. This wasn't an industry that I was used to so it seemed like a win-win situation to gain experience and a qualification.

"I am involved in everything people related so whether that's to do with employees and clients, I'm responsible for all the onboarding for any new people who have started at the company. I also deal in the day-to-day running of everyone's files, meetings, and recruitment - basically anything people related.

"The support I've been given has been fantastic, my line manager Jemma has been on the course I've done. North Tower is a very supportive organisation as well as the College through my mentor. They have excellent services where they've proofread assignments and helped with referencing and support so in all, I feel like I've received a really good level of support."

Recruiting new apprenticeships

With no upper age limit, apprenticeships are an affordable training option for many business owners and training leaders. This allows you to cultivate a pool of talented individuals who can easily transition into full-time positions in your business, a process that can be maintained to keep the talent pipeline of skilled workers. With so many apprenticeships offered in a variety of industry sectors and levels, new apprenticeship recruits can be from entry-level up to degree apprenticeships.

Upskilling existing staff through apprenticeships

Upskilling your existing members of staff provides routes of progression to people well-aligned with your business's goals and vision. As employees gain new skills through apprenticeships, they become equipped to take on more challenging roles and responsibilities in your organization. This can also help increase retention and fill skills gaps that are difficult to recruit for. This saves on the time and costs associated with external recruitment while also allowing a smoother transition into high-level positions.

Discuss your training needs

Now is the best time to discuss your training needs. If you're considering recruiting a new apprentice or if you have a member of staff with the potential to grow, get in touch now with our Employer Training & Apprenticeships team to discuss your training needs and the funding available.

Contact our Employer Training & Apprenticeship on employer.training@gloscol.ac.uk or 0345 155 2020

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