This week we’re celebrating Shirley Lawrence, a top member of Insight Data’s research team and super apprentice who has just earned a new BTEC qualification in Customer Service.
Like many young people in Weston-super-Mare, Shirley began her career working in retail, then in the care sector. But after completing an NVQ Level 2 in Care, she decided to embark on a new career path. “I knew I wanted to work more in the business sector and I was so excited when I was offered a job with the Ascot Group. I joined as a Researcher at Insight Data last April and worked hard to become a great customer service provider – now I’m ready to move up to the next level.”
Office Manager and team motivator extraordinaire, Jo Meredith, commented: “Shirley is amazing not just because of her work achievements, but because of her enthusiasm for the business. It’s obvious she cares about our work environment and the whole team.”
National Apprenticeships Awards 2015
Equivalent to a top GCSE grade, NVQ qualifications normally take up to a year to complete, but Shirley exceeded expectations by submitting her work portfolio after only 7 months.
After completing her course in record time, Shirley has been nominated by The Ascot Group for International Apprentice of the Year at the National Apprenticeship Awards.
Held in conjunction with Weston College at Cadbury House on 24th June, these awards offer businesses across the UK the chance to recognise the hard work and achievements of their top apprentices.
Jo says: “I read the description of what the judges are looking for and they describe Shirley perfectly – she has gone the extra mile in her work, taking on extra responsibilities from receptionist duties and key administration tasks, to helping every Ascot Group business prepare for client meetings.”
Encouraged by Jo, Shirley has decided to continue studying and will soon be starting her next BTEC qualification in Business Administration. Shirley says: “Every day I’m learning something new about how the business works and I’m looking forward to continuing my career at The Ascot Group.”
