Customer service team manager, Jemma Galley, 22, from Macclesfield, and contract enquiries supervisor, Helen Skinner, 29, from Wythenshawe, have both successfully completed their apprenticeships in team leading.
As part of its commitment to staff and the Investors in People standard, Manchester-based telecommunications company Unicom launched an apprenticeship programme last year in partnership with Stockport-based Damar Training.
Galley and Skinner are among the first members of staff to complete their apprenticeships with Damar, with many more expected to follow in the coming months.
Charlotte McHale, head of training and development at Unicom, said: “I am very proud of both Jemma and Helen. As the first members of staff to complete the course they have not only shown their willingness to develop as key members of the team, but have also set an example for other staff members to follow.
“They have gained this qualification while carrying out their day to day jobs as well as preparing for the arrival of new members of their family. We have now rolled the Damar scheme out to all members of staff and the take up has been fantastic, we now have 19 people completing a range of qualifications.”
Jonathan Bourne, Damar’s managing director, said: “We are delighted to see the success of the apprenticeship programme at Unicom. Helen and Jemma have both done really well, so much so that Helen was also chosen by our training team as Damar’s Learner of the Month.
“Unicom is committed to investing in staff development for the benefit of their people and their customers. All good apprenticeship programmes depend on the employer, the apprentices and the training provider working in partnership and our relationship with Unicom neatly illustrates that.”
Stockport-based Damar works with a wide range of clients including some of the North-West's largest organisations in both the private and public sectors as well as many professional and owner-managed businesses.