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Staff at companies across the country are taking a major step up the career ladder after enrolling on apprenticeship programmes.

KFC, Travis Perkins, Leicester Royal Infirmary, and George Eliot Hospital in Nuneaton are among the companies working with Æß²ÊÖ±²¥ Leicester (Æß²ÊÖ±²¥) on its Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship.

Students combine on-the-job experience with academic learning here on campus, and continue their work through independent study, supported by senior staff at work.



Among the companies taking part are KFC, which has been working with Æß²ÊÖ±²¥ to train its staff since 2013. The restaurant chain first offered a bespoke degree course in 2013 and in 2016, it became one of the first firms to take advantage of the Government’s new Apprenticeship levy, enrolling staff onto Degree Apprenticeships.

Team members from restaurants around the UK joined people from companies around the UK as the new chartered manager course began. Æß²ÊÖ±²¥’s apprenticeship is endorsed by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) meaning students will automatically receive a professional qualification upon successful completion.

Sam Bayley has three staff members on the course. She said: “I’ve come because I’m going to be a mentor, so I wanted to see what’s included in the course, and find out a bit more about what we can do to support.
“I’ll also be able to tell more people about the apprenticeship programme and spread the word!”

Emily Allen said: “I’m a team leader and I wanted to get to the next level with the company. I did sixth form but I knew university was not for me because I wanted to get a job rather than spend three years racking up debt.
“I liked the sound of getting paid to study so that’s why I signed up – I’m looking forward to getting started!”

Madalin Manea Vizireanu, originally from Romania, is now an area coach for a KFC franchise in Crawley.

He said: “I finished my education 10 years ago so it has been a while since I did any studying. I wanted to go to university but didn’t because of finance, and then I got a job and became a manager in Romania. Then when we moved here, I had a family so there was never time. Now we are expecting my second child so my plan is to study at night, I will be awake anyway!”

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Claire Stanley works at Leicester General Hospital. She said: “I’ve worked at the trust for 16 years It was part of my personal development plan to do this degree apprenticeship.
“I’ve done odd training here and then but nothing like this. I would never have been able to fund the degree myself – I like learning and I’m really keen to get my teeth into it.”

Anne Marlow, programme leader, said: “I’m really excited to be starting another apprenticeship course with a new cohort, and to have students from employers we have had a partnership with previously as well as new employers.

“They are a very lively group and there is a lot of enthusiasm to learn and I’m sure they will do well.”