"Brilliant" impact of Evie shows value of apprenticeships

"I was wary about how effective an apprentice could be and wondered whether one could really meet our needs. But Evie has been fantastic from day one."

Steve May-Russell, founder and chief executive of award-winning Wolston-based company Smallfry, had never seriously considered taking on an apprentice.

He felt the work of his strategic design consultancy business was too specialist and niche for an apprentice to be able to make a valuable contribution. He needed someone who could come in and hit the ground running.

But then a chat with Steve Convery, Business Skills Support Officer at Warwickshire Skills Hub, changed his mind. He thought he’d give it a go…and is so glad he did.

Evie Baker has joined the Smallfry team on a Level Three Apprenticeship as a digital marketing executive - and been “brilliant” from the word go. Having taken responsibility for the business’s multi-channel marketing, Evie has had a big impact, while learning all the time herself.

“The thought of taking on an apprentice had never really crossed my mind because we need people to come in at a certain level,” said Steve. “I was a little bit cynical about the concept and wary about how effective an apprentice could be and wondered whether one could really meet our needs. But Evie has been fantastic from day one.

“She went in at the deep end and has been brilliant at getting our messages out there, tracking analytics and getting people engaged with our business. Evie has been great for us and she is also learning all the time. I had wondered whether a degree course might be too rigid to accommodate our needs but in fact it is more than flexible enough."

Evie applied for the apprenticeship through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service website. Now on the first year of her Level Three apprenticeship, she has found her career direction and vocation after bailing out of a biology degree which was “not for me.”

“I had never really considered apprenticeships because they seemed under-valued by school,” Evie admitted. “Also I always associated them more with trades like bricklaying and electricians. But in fact you can have an apprenticeship in almost anything. I had never heard of degree-led apprenticeships and this one works perfectly. I am loving it at Smallfry. I feel I am making a real contribution to the business while also I am learning every day.”

Steven Convery, Business Skills Support Officer at Warwickshire Skills Hub, said: "Smallfry is a very unique business, and it has been a pleasure to support them on the journey of employing an apprentice via utilising the Future Skills Grants Programme that Warwickshire County Council facilitates.

"The Future Skills Grants Programme has been a fantastic success since its inception and that success is a testament to Warwickshire County Council’s commitment to the business community and its local workforce."

 * For more information about how an apprenticeship could help your business, please visit https://skillshub.warwickshire.gov.uk/schools/apprenticeships-1 or email steven.convery@warwickshire.gov.uk