• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Housing Technology logo

Housing Technology

Housing | IT | Telecoms | Business | Ecology

  • Free Subscription
  • Search Archive
  • Home
  • Research
  • Magazine
  • Events
  • Recruitment
  • Blog
  • On Demand
  • Contact
Home / Magazine Articles / Update on Orchard apprentices

Update on Orchard apprentices

Further to our coverage of Orchard’s apprentices in last month’s issue of Housing Technology, we thought it would be useful to find out more from the apprentices themselves.

Richard Aydon, who is studying for an NVQ in information and communication technology while working at Orchard, said, “Since leaving school and joining sixth-form college, I’ve discovered that continuing with study-based education just isn’t for me. I’ve always learned best with a hands-on approach which is something you don’t get a great deal of opportunity for at school or college. Orchard has given me this hands-on opportunity and three months here has taught me a lot more about ICT than 12 years of school.”

Danielle Christer, who is working as a service desk apprentice in Orchard’s customer services department, said, “If sixth-form college or university are not for you then try an apprenticeship. You not only learn and gain valuable experience, you also get paid and meet fabulous new people who make you feel very welcome.”

According to the National Apprenticeship Service, apprenticeships bring ‘considerable value to organisations, employers, individuals and the economy’. Businesses are now increasingly realising the benefits derived from apprenticeships, not only in terms of a highly-skilled workforce but also by boosting productivity and staff retention.

Kerry Borrowdale, customer services manager, Orchard, said, “Our customer services department has greatly benefitted from having apprentices in the team. The apprentices bring renewed enthusiasm and the scheme is a route to harness fresh talent. Their eagerness and willingness to learn is very rewarding for those involved in their career progression.”

Christer said, “I am dealing hands-on with different sections of work everyday. Instead of learning what to do through a text book, I am learning by tackling the situations that arise head on. This has made a massive difference to me, my confidence and my belief that work can be fun and not just a Monday-to-Friday, nine-to-five chore.”

Louise Crennell, HR manager, Orchard, said, “Our four apprentices are gaining valuable work experience while completing their NVQ qualifications. In return, Orchard can nurture and mould them – they have very little work experience but we’ve found hard-working individuals with the right attitude and at the end of the scheme, they may have the opportunity to join Orchard on a permanent basis.”

See More On:

  • Vendor: Orchard Information Systems
  • Topic: General News
  • Publication Date: 026 - March 2012
  • Type: News

Primary Sidebar

Most Recent Articles

  • Free cyber-defence tools from NCSC
  • Learning from history
  • Grand Union Housing gets connected with Aico HomeLink
  • The silences in the system: Predicting and preventing damp and mould
  • Looking back and to the future: Cyberthreats in social housing
  • Hyde signs repairs contract with Totalmobile
  • Fuelling high performance automation
  • Morgan Sindall’s Carbon Zero decarbonisation tool
  • An ethical approach to arrears
  • Housing and the ever-evolving workplace
  • Supporting residents with home safety risks
  • Less innovation & more service design at RHP
  • Ateb Group outsources IT help desks to Central Networks
  • Capital Letters partners with Evo Digital to tackle homelessness
  • Calico appoints M247 for digital transformation
  • 24/7 care requires 24/7 technology
  • Govtech trends for 2023
  • Are you ready for business process automation?
  • Lincoln council moves to the cloud with Civica
  • Why do IT business improvement projects fail?
  • Flagship and Ebrik launch augmented reality app
  • Following the golden thread
  • Setting the standard for carbon-monoxide protection
  • The business case for data
  • Digital twins – When, not if…
  • Using data to build communities
  • The cyber-security jigsaw’s missing piece – Managed detection & response
  • Cyber-security challenges in housing
  • Digitalising retrofits with SHDF & HomeLink
  • Tips for improving care and support

Footer

Housing Technology
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Contact
  • Free Subscription
  • Book an event
  • Blog
  • Search All Articles
  • Research
  • Update Your Subscription
  • Privacy Policy

Welcome to the housing Technology – Trusted Information For Business Professionals in HOusing

Housing Technology is the leading technology information service for the UK housing sector and local governments. We have always believed in the fundamental importance of how the UK’s social housing providers use technology to improve their tenants’ lives.

Subscribe to Housing Technology to gain market-leading research, unsurpassed peer networking opportunities and a greater understanding of your role to transform your business.

Copyright © The Intelligent Business Company 2022 | Terms and Conditions | Privacy Policy
Housing Technology is published by the The Intelligent Business Company. A company with limited liability. Registered in England No. 4958057 | Vat Registion No. 833 0069 55.

Registered Business Address: Hoppingwood Farm, Robin Hood Way, London, SW20 0AB | Telephone: +44 (0) 20 8336 2293

htc23 pop banner