This year’s theme is ‘Build the Future’, so we’ll also be focusing on how the Service Centre supports the local community by building future careers, supporting job creation and the helping the economy in Cornwall. Since opening in 2015, King’s Service Centre has been recruiting from the local area, developing staff and delivering work experience, graduate and apprenticeship opportunities.
This investment in the next generation has ensured the Service Centre is never short of excellent talent. Thirty-two apprentices have passed through its doors, with over half staying on and continuing their careers with King’s.
Bailey joined the Service Desk in April 2021, he applied for the apprenticeship so he could get the experience of working in IT and still receive more IT education.
Bailey says “My day-to-day activities at King’s Service Centre involve helping people through phone and email with varied IT issues. The experience has been great since all my colleagues are friendly and willing to help, and I get to learn about a variety of IT issues and systems every day.”
When asked how he feels this apprenticeship will help his future career, Bailey said “This apprenticeship will no doubt help my IT career since we cover such a large and varied number of problems every day. The experience I’ve gotten from this already would be wildly helpful if I wanted to move into a specific part of IT.”
Last year we also took on two new apprentices in IT Supplier Management to cope with the increase demands on the existing team.
Conor, Senior Supplier Analyst said “When it was decided that IT Supplier Management would be expanding, we agreed that we would take on one full time Supplier Analyst as well as an Apprentice Supplier Analyst that we could train from the ground up whilst they earned themselves a Level 3 qualification in Business Administration. When it came to the interview stages we had several applicants, two of whom had applied for the one apprenticeship role. After a hard round of interviews, both Analyst and Apprentice, myself and Dave Pople (Head of IT Supplier Management) came to the conclusion that we wanted to have both apprentices as they had both shown eagerness to work and qualities that would fit well within the ITSM team. We felt that hiring the two apprentices would be the best option so we could grow the ITSM function whilst they grew their own personal and professional skills, developing the department to include the teachings of the apprenticeships.”
Amelia was looking for a business orientated apprenticeship on the government website after completing her A Levels. Tianna wanted something different to the typical business administration job so was instantly interested in applying.
They started during the pandemic – having already had her studies disrupted, Amelia was use to all the changes that had been implemented due to Covid. She said “I feel that King’s were very accommodating with checking I had everything I needed to work from home! I also feel when I started everyone was so lovely and welcoming on the induction day!”
Tianna told us about a typical week in her role,
“My typical week involves contract renewals where I will contact suppliers, business and service owners to see if they’d like a contract renewed. I also deal with tickets that may have queries such as domain purchases or renewals, invoices and quotes needing purchase orders to be raised.”
Amelia’s advice to anyone thinking of taking up an apprenticeship is definitely give it a go, “I have found so much benefit in doing an apprenticeship with King`s, it has made transitioning from full time college to working so much more interesting and easy, I didn’t know anything about supplier management before starting and my team has helped me to learn so much!”
If you are interested in an apprenticeship at King’s Service Centre then please keeping checking the Government website for opportunities
