• Accountancy apprentice Steven Gallego secured a job and promotion at Notting Hill Housing.
Apprentices trained at the College of Haringey Enfield and North East London (CONEL) are flourishing as they embark on their careers with top employers.
Steven Gallego, 23, secured a job and promotion within a year of completing an Accountancy apprenticeship with the College at Notting Hill Housing in King’s Cross.
Notting Hill Housing is one of London's leading housing associations and property developers, managing nearly 32,000 homes across the capital.
Steven began as a Finance Officer in 2015 before transferring to become a Finance Systems Officer and being promoted to Project Officer within the Finance Systems team.
“Before I started my apprenticeship I was working for an event company but it wasn’t going anywhere. I wanted more of a career path so I looked at finance,” he said.
“I applied for two apprenticeship positions in Finance Systems and Payments at Notting Hill Housing. At first I didn’t know anything at all, but over time I learnt a lot and it was a good experience.
“After a year and a half they offered me a full-time job, and since then I have moved up to another role in the company.”
ICT and Computing apprentice Arun Flora and Clinical Care apprentice Georgia Hughes.
Apprenticeships are a great way to earn while you learn the skills needed for a great career without having to pay tuition fees as these are covered by your employer.
Georgia Hughes, 18, swapped A-levels for a Clinical Care apprenticeship at North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust last year.
She said: “I felt that I learnt better doing something practical rather than from a book.
“I’ve been able to get hands on experience and understand hospital protocols and the way the different roles work with each other. Doing an apprenticeship was the best decision I ever made. I’d recommend it to anyone.”
Arun Flora, 20, an ICT and Computing apprentice at Winchmore School in Enfield, said: “I’ve learnt so much that I know I wouldn’t have learnt in classes alone. I’m learning new things every day both at college and at work.”
CONEL trains more than 1,000 apprentices each year in areas including accounting, business, childcare, construction, creative and media, engineering, hair and beauty, health and social care, computing and teaching.
The College also offers pre-apprenticeships, 12-15 week courses that provide the skills needed for an apprenticeship, in accounting, business, dry wall lining and rail track engineering.