Case Studies

Tim Singer, Photo-imaging apprentice | Viewpoint Photography, Bath

I studied Photography and Film A-Levels and thought about going to uni, but decided it was too expensive and that an apprenticeship would put me ahead. I was doing unpaid work experience with Viewpoint and my boss suggested this scheme. At College I get a different perspective about how photography can be used. I can think about my own work and develop a portfolio for when the apprenticeship ends. I’m intrigued by the historical development of photography. It’s nice to have another place to come to and do a different kind of work that’s more reflective. It makes me appreciate the experience I get in my job too.

Jordan Airzee, Creative and Digital Media Apprentice | TwoFour, Plymouth

It’s brilliant. I was thrown in at the deep end but it all fits together. I work in the IT team at TwoFour, while the College training helps with the wider view. I want to stay in employment when I finish here, but if I need them, I’ll have the qualifications for uni – so all my options are open. Financially, it isn’t much, but it makes all the difference. I’ve got more independence and I’m learning how to look after my money. I’d recommend an apprenticeship to anyone. It’s very competitive but it’s a good option.

Jordan Shahin, Creative and Digital Media Apprentice | TwoFour, Plymouth

The world of work is very different from being in education, but I have a h3 work ethic. I like the recognition and rewards of working. TwoFour are laid back and friendly, and the link with the College has made working life more enjoyable – it breaks up the week and lets me step back into education to develop my own ideas. I think it makes me a better all round employee. After the apprenticeship I plan to travel for a year, but I’ll come back to the media industry.

James Birch, Design Support Apprentice | TwoFour, Plymouth

Plymouth based design and print agency Shred Limited is a great example of a small business reaping the benefits of taking on an apprentice. Steve Toze is the Managing Director at Shred Limited and has just seen James Birch through his Level 2 Design Apprenticeship with Plymouth College of Art.

“James approached us looking for an apprenticeship.” Steve says, “We were looking to train someone in the specifics of our business and taking on an apprentice seemed a good way to do this.” Steve immediately contacted Plymouth College of Art for help setting up the Apprenticeship, “they talked me through the best options and found an apprenticeship that would suit our needs. The process was really straightforward and it only took two weeks to get James started.”

Alongside working at the company James has been spending one day per week at Plymouth College of Art studying Level 2 Design. Steve has been really impressed with James, who is now progressing onto the next level of his apprenticeship. Steve says: “James has been doing everything, he is learning all the time. He started off making the tea and cleaning up and now he is a full blown studio assistant. He has been a great asset to the business and I would definitely look to hire an apprentice again. I think apprenticeships are often seen as something only large companies offer, but actually it’s something that small businesses can really take advantage of.”

Tom Westlake, Design Support Apprentice | Mooshmedia Marketing Ltd

Darren Higgs, Managing Director of Mooshmedia Marketing Ltd in Bude, has found an apprentice with a lot of talent. Manager Darren Higgs said: "Our target is for Tom to grow within the business and gain the skills and technical know-how to manage it himself on a day to day basis; to win new business, work closely with clients, and get the jobs out of the door at the standard our clients expect. We're a small design agency which experienced rapid growth in 2008 so we had to expand our manpower to meet the demands of our clients. After employing a graduate who didn't work out, we were approached by a local 16-year-old keen to get experience in design and found that Creative Apprenticeships were available through Plymouth College of Art. After a couple of weeks, we were very, very impressed by Tom. I gave him a laptop with the Adobe Creative Suite to take home and get acquainted with, and he picked up the software really quickly.

From day one Tom has worked on fully commercial jobs. He's been successful designing business cards, leaflets and numerous websites and has really supported me by sharing the workload on several projects. We work with some outstanding corporate and consumer clients, producing intelligent solutions and engaging design and Tom has really taken this ethos on board.”