Conservatory Outlet Chooses Apprenticeship to Develop Marketing Team

Conservatory Outlet is one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of windows, doors and living spaces. As the business has grown, it has expanded their workforce and invested in training to develop the talents of the team.

Nikki Lewis joined the marketing team as Marketing Executive with a plan to complete a qualification that would help her step up into a Marketing Manager role. Up to that point she wasn’t aware that an apprenticeship could be an option for her: “I had no idea that I could do them at this level or age, or even specifically in marketing.”

Nikki and her line manager, Karen Clough, knew they needed to find a course which was exactly the right fit. Karen comments “We liked the fact that a Marketing Manager Level 6 apprenticeship would provide both the academic marketing focus as well as development of management skills.” Nikki also valued the potent mix of marketing and people skills offered by the apprenticeship.

Nikki realised that she would be learning and applying classroom theory to work projects straight away. “I found that really helpful not only to me, but to the organisation as well. It just completely made sense for me and my journey … both at the start and for what I was going on to do afterwards.”

“What made this course different was that it was a marketing course with people skills included too – it helped me grow as a manager.”

During Nikki and Karen’s online research they discovered The JGA Group as a leading provider of marketing apprenticeships.

Nikki liked the length of JGA’s apprenticeship and the easy to understand roadmap of modules: “It was perfect for me, both for the training period and the End Point Assessment. There were the right number of seminars for me too. I printed off the roadmap of modules from the website and what would be covered … it was just absolutely everything that I could possibly want to cover for me to progress and improve. Everyone at JGA was really welcoming and helpful and if we wanted any extra information, they sent it fast.”

JGA’s apprenticeship training is delivered not by dusty academics but by professionals who are passionate both about their industry and in helping others learn.

Nikki loved that her tutor helped her delve deeper into areas that she may have overlooked: “…she would push and encourage us.” She also benefited from 1-2-1 sessions with her coach: “I lacked a lot of confidence at the beginning but with my coach’s support I grew a lot actually!”

Karen, her line manager, also helped to build Nikki’s confidence by helping her appreciate her own strengths.

Nikki’s growth in confidence helped during her End Point Assessment where she presented and answered questions from the assessor with ease.

Nikki has been promoted to Marketing Manager at Conservatory Outlet and is responsible for a growing team.

Upon completion of her apprenticeship Nikki commented “I want to support and manage my team as best I can so that we can offer the best service to our network of customers.”

She is now a keen advocate of apprenticeships and a junior colleague has already become a marketing assistant apprentice. “It makes sense for both the company and the employee to do an apprenticeship. The employee is working and learning at the same time – they’re not doing extra study outside of work. The employer can use the government levy so it saves on cost as well.”

“When you’re doing an apprenticeship you’re completing it in the workplace, so it embeds the learning more effectively.” Nikki Lewis

Nikki’s success has continued outside the workplace too. She won ‘highly commended’ in the West Yorkshire Apprenticeship Awards for Higher or Degree-Level Apprentices. She has also been nominated to be the Make UK Business Apprentice of the Year at the North-East and Humberside Apprentice Awards.

JGA wishes Nikki good luck for the future – her future is bright!