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We have run an apprentice programme for a couple of years, but Steph was our first PR apprentice. She applied after seeing the ad in a PRCA newsletter. She has been a great addition to Ilex. Her positive, can-do attitude and bubbly personality has meant that she has had a lot of experience over the course of her apprenticeship and comfortably liaises with clients all over the world. She has consistently kept on top of her studies and produced portfolio work to a high standard. We very much look forward to welcoming Steph as a permanent member of the team once she completes her apprenticeship this summer. If we could get another PR apprentice like Steph, we’d snap them up tomorrow!
Lucia Barbato, Director & Co-Founder, Ilex Content
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Consumer & Hospitality said:
Bringing an apprentice into the team has brought an injection of new energy and insights into our consumer and hospitality team. She has been able to support our junior team with client and agency work so that individuals gain additional development opportunities and experience.
Nicola Carroll, Associate Director, Speed Communications
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Business & Corporate said:
Our apprentice has made a huge contribution to the Business & Corporate team already! From securing some amazing print coverage in The Times, to supporting the team with excellent copywriting and media relations - it is great having someone there as a helping pair of hands, who is so enthusiastic and eager to learn the ins and outs of our business.
Lydia Eden, Account Director, Speed Communications
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Our apprentice, James, joined us at a particularly challenging time. We were still in lockdown, working from home, and balancing multiple changing priorities for our business and our clients. He not only took all this in his stride but has helped to ease the pressure on the team and enabled us to continue our growth. We can rely on him to produce high quality content which takes into consideration the tone of voice of our clients and the needs of their audiences - and that feeds in the best-practice he has learnt from his own studies and PRCA training sessions. Bringing him in on projects has surfaced a real passion for our specialism (construction) and shown him to be resourceful and diligent. This has given us the confidence to increase his responsibility, already making him a Junior Account Executive despite not yet completing his apprenticeship. In addition, and perhaps more importantly, he is an absolute joy to be around. From his very first team Zoom, his enthusiasm, kindness and good sense of humour instantly made him part of the team. He has also been invaluable in helping our newer recruits settle in, relating his experience and sharing the knowledge he has gained with them to make them feel comfortable and informed.
”Jodie Affleck, Account Director, Smith Goodfellow
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The PRCA has been outstanding in supplying the right people, resources and support to help our Communications Apprentice not only succeed but thrive throughout her apprenticeship. Our apprentice only joined us in September 2020 and of course the last year saw us all having to operate within vastly different parameters to how we normally would. PRCA’s support and professionalism never wavered and the switch to an online service was seamless - the quality of its contribution seemingly not affected by the necessary change in delivery. Perhaps the biggest accolade I can give the PRCA is that, even in difficult circumstances, our apprentice passed with a distinction and it was marvellous to see her skillset grow and sector knowledge improve so quickly. Great job PRCA… we know where to come should we be in a position to recruit for another apprentice further down the line.
”Andy Mckay, Communications Manager (Internal), Essex Highways
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We worked with PRCA to hire our extremely talented apprentice; Joy Haggard into our small but mighty internal communications team. The end to end process, apprenticeship and help we received from PRCA was of a high standard with Joy successfully achieving a distinction, something we are all very proud of. Developing and investing in our apprentices is essential to the future of dmg media. Apprenticeships allow us to hire inclusively and diversely. They welcome fresh perspectives and new talent into the business with passion, energy and enthusiasm to learn and apply their new skills. In our opinion, hiring an apprentice is a no brainer.
”Antonia Fox, Talent and Learning Manager, dmg media
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In the autumn of 2018 we 'took delivery' of two fresh faced apprentices, secured by the PRCA. We had requested just one but the calibre of both candidates at interview was so exceptional that we couldn't choose between the girls and took them both. Over the next 18 months, with the support of the team here and the continual professional services of the PRCA, these two young girls blossomed from school leavers to fully fledged communication pros. Taking on an apprentice should not be taken lightly as it is quite a commitment to your business and to the apprentice, but the PRCA offered excellent assistance to ensure that girls were kept on track and working towards their qualification. Glad to say they both passed with flying colours and we are proud to have played a role in launching their careers.
”Caroline Coskry, CEO, The Oracle Group
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Co-op is an organisation that recognises talent and values colleague development. As our apprentice started her new job, we established that it would be a great opportunity to gain a PR and communications qualification and worked with our in-house apprenticeship team and the PRCA to explore and arrange this.
Through learning in her communications role and studying for their apprenticeship, our apprentice gained a wide knowledge of the industry and the careers within it, honing her skills to help us communicate effectively to a complex, target audience comprising different member stakeholders, across a number of channels. We were delighted that our apprentice achieved a distinction and was well supported by her PRCA mentor to showcase all the great work she’s done.
Continuing to develop, our apprentice is working to a really high level, splitting her time between her communications role in our team and in Co-op’s PR team, which will hopefully lead to a full-time role and the next step in her career.
”Simon Plunkett, Democratic Services & Projects Manager, Co-op
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The PRCA’s apprenticeship application process has been nothing short of outstanding. Thanks to the organisation’s in-depth and high quality training, we have taken on a new member of the team who is extremely proficient and knowledgeable within all elements of the PR industry. From liaising with our clients in a courteous and professional manner, our PRCA Apprentice has become an integral part of the Voice Communications team. It’s been a pleasure watching him grow within the workspace and it’s all thanks to the superb training that the PRCA has provided.
”Megan House, Senior Account Manager, Voice Communications
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The recruitment for our apprentice was seamless. PRCA provided us with a selection of candidates which we brought forward for an assessment day. PRCA supported us on this assessment day and it was a hard decision as the candidates were of high calibre. Our successful candidate has proved to be a valuable member of the team and has since been successful in securing a permanent position with us in the same field so she can continue her career.
”Judy Janson, Personnel Advisor, Ashford Borough Council