Nicole Piercy - Retail apprenticeship
Nicole Piercy pictured with College Principal Louise Misselke
Background
Nicole was a Retail Skills apprentice working at Waitrose, Admiral Park where she is now General Assistant.
She felt that the apprenticeship route was perfect for her as she was able to fit study around her work schedule.
What she enjoyed most as an apprentice
“I enjoyed learning more about Waitrose policies and getting to know more about what goes into anything that we do – from a small thing like serving a customer to how to create an eye-catching display.”
A memorable moment of her apprenticeship
“At the end of my apprenticeship I won the Retail Apprentice of the Year award.”
Did she face any particular challenges in her apprenticeship role?
“The obvious answer to that is COVID and going into lockdown. It meant that I was unable to attend College and had to complete the last part of the course online.”
Advice for future apprentices
“To work hard and take any help that is given to them. They will end up learning a lot about the company they work for and it could potentially lead to getting promotion.”
Nicole’s mentor Asia has high praise for Nicole
“She has now become more of a leader and delegates work to other partners and looks at the bigger picture.”
Asia’s thoughts on the programme
“The apprenticeship has made my partners (employees) a lot more confident in what they do, unlocking their potential and helping them use their initiative. This is a good starting point for aspiring employees. It will give them motivation to do better and make them proud that they are studying.”
