Celebrating our apprentices to mark National Apprenticeship Week

To mark the week we're sharing stories of our colleagues who are at different stages of our apprenticeships from those just starting out to people who began as apprentices and are still building their careers with us years later.

Learning on the job and building confidence

Fern Mosely has been an apprentice in our Insurance team for just over a year.

Her role includes supporting leaseholders with insurance queries and investigating claims, which often means visiting customers' homes after a fire or escape of water.

She said: “I really enjoy investigating claims the most. Every situation is different, and that’s what makes the job interesting.”

One of the biggest surprises for Fern has been how much responsibility she’s been trusted with.

That support has helped Fern take on new challenges and pass demanding exams. Fern now feels confident about her future and hopes to continue her career in insurance at Citizen.

Growing confidence through trust and support 

Tyler Banning-Price started his procurement apprenticeship in November 2024 and finishes in May.

His role helps make sure we buy goods and services fairly and in line with the law.

He said: “There’s lots of variety in my role, which keeps it really exciting.”

With the support of his team, Tyler has passed all of his exams so far and grown in confidence as his knowledge has developed.

He added: “Everyone’s been really patient and understanding. I’m here to learn, and that’s been clear from day one.”

Tyler hopes to continue building his career at Citizen once his apprenticeship ends.

From apprentice to long-term career 

We’re also proud to celebrate colleagues who started their careers as apprentices and have gone on to build long-term futures at Citizen.

Jake Kemp, an electrician, has now been with Citizen for 10 years. Jake joined Citizen at 18 after spotting the apprenticeship on the National Apprenticeship Service website.

During his four-year apprenticeship, Jake built his skills step by step, from basic tasks to more complex jobs. He was also seconded to Keepmoat for several months, helping him gain experience and complete his portfolio.

He said: “It was really competitive – I was up against more than 50 other applicants. But I knew electrics was what I wanted to do.

“When you start, it can feel difficult. But you learn so much, so quickly.

“There’s nowhere better to learn. If I made a mistake, I was supported to learn from it. I’ve had great managers throughout my time here and I’m now managed by Ian South, who is incredibly supportive.”

Jake also highlights how much he learned about working with customers, not just the technical side of the job.

Jordan Gillespie took a different route into his apprenticeship. He originally joined our Estates team working in Grounds Maintenance before a colleague encouraged him to consider an apprenticeship.

He is still working with us seven years after starting his electrical apprenticeship Jordan re-sat his maths and English qualifications alongside his apprenticeship at college.

He said: “I started a little later in life, but seven years on I’m fully qualified and loving the job. It’s meant I can buy my own home, start a family and know I’ve got a great career ahead of me.”

Supporting the next generation 

We’re also excited to welcome our newest apprentice, Josh Berry, who joined us in October last year after a highly competitive recruitment open day.

Josh had previously worked for one of our suppliers and was encouraged to apply by Citizen engineers. Alongside his technical training, he’ll complete five learning modules with Learning and Development, covering areas like communication, teamwork, personal effectiveness and interview skills.

He said: “I’m working with Jake and Jordan now, and knowing they’ve been through the same process means I know they can really help and support me. I’m excited about what the future holds.”

What’s next 

On 16 February, we’ll be holding our next recruitment open day, where we’ll be looking to recruit two carpenters and a digital apprentice for our Customer Experience team.

Thank you to all our apprentices, past and present. The work you do really matters, and we’re proud to support you at every stage of your journey.