Employee Spotlight: Meet our apprentices in the UK
Welcome to the Certinia Employee Spotlight Series! Here we highlight the many employees that help drive the success of the company – across departments, offices, and the globe. These are the faces of Certinia.
In this edition, we speak with eight apprentices out of our Harrogate office in the UK, to learn about each of their unique roles, what they are learning and accomplishing, and what their experiences have been with Certinia. Participants include:
Patrick Fleming – Marketing
Jonah Potter – Finance
Neve Deeley – Employee Success
Kate Griffiths – Video & Tutorials
Jamie Crompton – Onboarding
Harry Wilson – Video & Technical
Daniel Rawson – Onboarding
Jack Holdsworth – Onboarding
Hello! Thanks for participating in this Q&A. Let’s start with your first day at Certinia. How was it?
Jack: The first day was really welcoming. Everyone was open and familiar. I had really prepared for the assessment centre and was excited to be coming to work for Certinia.
Neve: I was a bit nervous but I found the day went well and the induction smooth. I was toured around the office, everyone was friendly, and the nerves were gone. I was also taken for lunch!
Daniel: It was crazy but in a good way. We were given an overview of how our roles would fit into the company, which was intense but interesting and a lot of fun.
Jamie: The first day gave good insight into Certinia and what my role would be. I was introduced to different people and had inductions with three different departments: Employee Success, Facilities, and IT.
What excited you about the company and your position?
Patrick: I came in knowing it is a good company, growing quickly, and with great career opportunities. I travel quite a distance to work but the opportunity is worth it.
Kate: I did some research on Certinia and looked into the apprenticeship programs as this suited my desire to learn. I was also excited about the video and tutorial role as it was a chance to do something creative.
Jonah: I want to do finance as a career so I was excited when I saw the financial-focused apprentice role offered.
Jack: I knew that it was a San Francisco-based company and had good investors. I also read the positive reviews on Glassdoor. Being given a MacBook Pro on the first day was also great!
Can each of you talk through your role?
Jamie: I work in the Onboarding team which manages customer installs and upgrade packages. I get the opportunity to speak to customers and communicate with account teams, and also get an insight into how the sales process works. I am up to speed now and really enjoy it!
Harry: I help write product video scripts and work with the production company to have videos made. So far I have worked on the Billing Central and Accounting applications. I feel really good about the role, enjoy the culture, and have made good friends.
Jack: I work in the Onboarding team where I use my problem-solving skills by closing cases for customers. I really enjoy the role and overall I am really glad that I chose the Onboarding division.
Neve: I assist with the administration in Employee Success so I draft letters, work in the HCM applications, and do general day-to-day admin. I am happy to be learning different processes and getting to work on exciting and challenging projects. I have also been tasked with a project for charity work and looking at different events where we can increase diversity. I really enjoy the role and team I work with and excited about the future.
Kate: I am part of the training team developing videos and tutorials. I developed the script for Certinia4Good and also produced the video. I also did the voice over for an ERP and Billing Central video. The role is fast-paced with deadlines that I have to meet. There are different variations to the role but all good. I was ready for the challenge!
Patrick: I am in a Marketing apprentice role helping with events, organising the training, and research. It’s challenging and there are a lot of great people in the business. I am enjoying it, learning a lot, and I can see the potential.
Daniel: I work in the Onboarding team which is responsible for installations and upgrades for customers. I enjoy the role as its varied and gives me the opportunity to talk to customers. As an apprentice, I am integrated into the team and treated as an equal.
Jonah: As a finance apprentice I go into the banking application every morning and allocate who has paid what invoice. I also complete the credit checks. I am responsible for the expenses and run the BACS to pay those. I am also building the end of year ledger that the auditors use and have become converse in Excel using Vlookup, formulas, and pivot tables.
Do you feel you have grown in confidence since being with us?
Jonah: Yes, definitely. I have integrated into the team well and everyone is so friendly and approachable.
Kate: I am 100% more confident and this has also been noticed outside of work. I feel grown up! There is so much I have learned and am still learning a lot more in both work and college.
Jamie: I am now on the phone to customers. It was a bit daunting at first but I am more confident now.
Daniel: Yes, definitely!
Jack: Definitely more confident. I can be more critical of myself but have covered a lot of learning.
What advice would you give to a new apprentice?
Harry: Don’t be afraid to speak up in meetings or say hi to people you don’t typically work with. Get involved with the activities like I do with Certinia4Good. Go above and beyond and ask a lot of questions.
Patrick: Ask for as many responsibilities as you can, don’t say no!
What are your future career goals?
Neve: I would like to stay in Employee Success and work towards future qualifications and naturally become a permanent member of the team.
Harry: To stay at Certinia and move forward with my career.
Daniel: Possibly move into more of a support role which would be a new challenge.
Patrick: To progress in Marketing and make lots of money! Also to stay at Certinia.
Thank you for reading! Learn more about life at Certinia and see open opportunities here.
