National Apprentice Week with Wagstaff Apprentice James Kettle

"The knowledge I have learnt over the past several months has been second to none."

An introduction to James and his current apprenticeship

Hello, I’m James, I am the Bid Administrator for Wagstaff interiors Group, I joined Wagstaff in August 2022 and I’m currently completing a Level 3 Business Admin Apprenticeship.

Why did you choose to do an apprenticeship?

I wanted to do an apprenticeship because in my spare time I was studying towards a level 2 Business and Administration at home, my rationale by applying to do an apprenticeship was that it could teach more about Business Admin. While working as a cleaner in my previous role, I had discussions about wanting to study down this avenue, they were very enthusiastic for me they were helping me every way they could to find the right apprenticeship.

What do you enjoy about being at Wagstaff?

The main things I am enjoying about working at Wagstaff is that I am learning something new every week, getting to travel to different parts of the country to meet suppliers and visit client sites. The more I work within the bid team the more I learn about the industry, such as the demands, products, quality, suppliers, clients, competitors and the different sectors that we supply.

While working at Wagstaff I have been continually supported by my team, Lianne and Hannah are always helpful when I have issues with my workload or need any guidance. When attending the Wagstaff Christmas conference that was held at Lumley Castle I it was finally great to talk to them face to face rather than communicating by email, phone or teams.

What would you say to those interested in an apprenticeship at Wagstaff?

I would highly recommend Wagstaff as a place to do an apprenticeship as the people here are always kind and helpful, the knowledge I have learnt over the past several months has been second to none and I cant wait to see where 2023 takes me.