Three Parseq employees joined a panel of local experts to offer an audience of South Yorkshire businesses their take on the value of apprenticeships.
The European Social Fund Apprentice Event at Rotherham United’s New York Stadium gave small to medium size employers an introduction to apprenticeships.
The event hosted by Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council, covered a wide range of topics, including how apprenticeships work, their benefits for businesses and employer responsibilities. It also debunked some commonly held misconceptions about apprenticeships and how the route to work can help organisations build a pipeline of talent.
Parseq Purchase Ledger Apprentice, Zeynah Kahlil, Management Accountant Jessica McNulty and Head of Recruitment Louise Hudson was joined by Simon Spode, Operations Manager at Performance Engineered Solutions Ltd.
The panel answered a series of questions, giving insight on their roles and professional development and how apprenticeships provide people with a platform to grow in a working environment.
Zeynah also spoke about her personal experience as an apprentice at Parseq. She is currently studying Level 3 Association of Accounting Technician at Doncaster College and was recently named Rotherham Apprentice of the Year for 2019.
Zeynah joined Parseq in February 2018 with no experience working in a business environment. Over the past two years, she’s been highly committed to her role while undertaking a busy college schedule.
She is now part of an established finance team and independently manages multiple finance processes, including purchase ledger, raising purchase orders, petty cash and bank reconciliations. She hopes to be a fully qualified management accountant by 2021.
On her appearance, Zeynah commented: “Being invited to sit on this panel and share my experiences is an honour. This is a perfect platform to talk about why apprenticeships are a great way into the world of work and inspire other people to follow a similar path.
“Winning the Rotherham Apprentice of the Year made me feel incredibly proud of what I have achieved. The knowledge and confidence I’ve gained has been more than I could ever have imagined. Parseq have helped me in my journey every step of the way.”
Jessica, who started as a Purchase Ledger Apprentice in October 2014 and worked her way up to her current role as a Management Accountant, also spoke about her experience on Parseq’s apprenticeship programme. She is now studying for her CIMA in her own time to become a fully qualified Chartered Accountant.
Jessica is Zeynah’s line manager and has been able to share her knowledge and experiences to Zeynah to aid her development.
Parseq is committed to investing in people and has benefitted from a successful apprenticeship programme for a number of years. It offers apprentices positions in finance, marketing and IT and see the route to work as a valuable tool for harnessing and developing highly skilled workers.
Parseq’s Managing Director, Craig Naylor-Smith, said: “It’s incredibly rewarding to see our past and current apprentices asked to share their knowledge and experiences with other businesses. We’re proud of our track record in helping apprentices gain hands on work experience and develop an array of skills.
“The success Zeynah and Jess have achieved is a testament to the emphasis we put on investing in and empowering our workforce and evidence of the value of apprenticeships as a route to the world of work.”
