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During National Apprenticeship Week (7th – 13th February) Vianet marked the successful achievements and commitments of our apprentices for the last 18 months. Apprenticeships are a brilliant option for people of all ages to launch their careers, or simply upskill at various levels within Vianet. Participating in an apprenticeship at Vianet allows employees to acquire valuable skills and experience as well as a recognised qualification.
Growth and Success for Young People in Teesside
To celebrate the hard work and graduation of our apprentices, Vianet held a Graduation Presentation Day on the 11th February. For this memorable event, Vianet invited the Executive Board and local dignitaries on site including the Mayor of Middlesbrough – Andy Preston, Leader of Stockton Council – Bob Cook, Principal Employment & Skills Officer – Roland Todd and Vice Chair of North East Apprenticeship Ambassador Network (NEAAN) – Alan Wallace. The day involved a short tour of the Head Office showcasing the great work within the organisation, meeting with the Executive Board and presentation of certificates to our apprentices.
(Photo: Andy Preston, Mayor of Middlesbrough speaking with our Solution Developer, Martyn Bell and Learning and Development Advisor, Maret Ward)
(Photo: Allan Wallace, Bob Cook and Roland Todd meeting the Vianet Team during site tour)
(Photo: Dignitaries and Vianet Team in the Board Room)
Vianet are proud to celebrate the graduation of the following apprentices:
- Rhys Debono, IT Support Engineer completed his apprenticeship with a Level 3 Infrastructure Technician qualification and has secured a permanent role within the team.
- Danny Liu, Data Analyst completed his apprenticeship with a Level 4 Data Analyst qualification.
- Ashley Heyman, Data Analyst completed his apprenticeship with a Level 4 Data Analyst qualification.
- Martyn Bell, Solution Developer completed his apprenticeship with a Level 3 Software Development Technician qualification.
Apprentices get to apply their learning and contribute to the work environment, developing the practical skills and understanding they need to excel in their role. The apprentices and their managers commemorated the occasion with a trip to an Escape Room for some entertainment at the end of the day!
Maret Ward, Learning & Development Advisor said:
“This was our first and I am sure the graduation event will now be firmly in the annual calendar. It was a great opportunity to recognise all of the hard work each individual apprentice has given to their continuous professional development; they have all given 110% commitment to completing their apprenticeships. I would encourage anyone within the organisation who wishes to express an interest in participating in an apprenticeship as part of their own learning and professional development to contact myself or their line manager.”
Our aim is to continue to grow the apprenticeship opportunities within Vianet following the success of previous cohorts. We are focused on providing continuous professional learning and development as the business continues to grow and develop into new verticals. If you would like to find out more about our apprenticeship opportunities at Vianet, please visit our apprenticeship page.
Apprenticeships play a large part in creating opportunities for employees that allow them to move within the business, rather than limiting progression to ‘the next rung on the ladder’. As an organisation that’s experiencing rapid growth, instilling a culture that focusses on learning and development has been an integral part of Vianet’s ongoing success. Abi Thompson joined Vianet in June 2017 as an Apprentice within the Customer Experience Team and, after successfully completing her apprenticeship in 2018, joined the Helpdesk as an Assistance Advisor.
Over the last 2 years, Abi’s dedication to ensuring Vianet provide the best possible service to our customers saw her progress to a senior role within the Helpdesk; taking ownership of our Food Services customers, implementing new processes and procedures to improve the team’s efficiency, and building the knowledge within the wider team to ensure consistent and timely resolutions to customer queries.
Vianet’s Product Manager, Joanne Vinton-Bullwinkel, talks about the personal development she has seen first-hand from Abi:
“I’ve worked with Abi since I joined Vianet as Head of Customer Experience in January 2019 and the transformation I have seen in that time has been a privilege to watch.
Our business needed to evolve throughout the pandemic, and we came out of it stronger than ever because we have a wealth of people like Abi, with a steadfast commitment to ensuring the collective success of the business and our customers. Abi’s experience epitomises the spirit of Vianet for me, by investing in the development of our people, we ensure the delivery of our goals.
Abi tends to work quietly, without fanfare, supporting those around her and setting herself incredibly high standards. These qualities, and her continued investment in her own development, paved the way for Abi to progress within the business, and join the Product Team this year as a Junior Business Analyst. This role will allow Abi to play an active part in shaping the future of our products and the experience she has gained in her previous roles will further ensure their success.”
Apprenticeships are not only a great way to support young people in their transition between education and the workplace, but also an opportunity for existing employees to gain invaluable experience and recognised qualifications. Abi is a perfect example of this, and the focus Vianet have around developing their people.
When asked about her journey at Vianet so far, Abi said:
“Starting my apprenticeship with Vianet was a fantastic opportunity; I was provided everything I needed to learn which helped build both my personal, and the team, knowledge. This meant that I was able to progress with the company, working towards becoming a senior member of the team. During this time, I found a niche that I thrived in, and Vianet gave me the space and freedom to learn to work towards this goal. I am thrilled to be facing new and exciting challenges in my new role, and continuing my career and further education with Vianet, and I’m looking forward to my future within the company.”
If you would like to find out more about apprenticeship opportunities at Vianet,
please feel free to contact us.
At Vianet Group we are great believers in ‘growing our own’. We’ve partnered with QA Apprenticeships, and their account manager Taylor Burgen. Taylor has played an integral role in helping us secure the right apprenticeships for our growing business, and taking the time to really understand who we are and our ethos.
Vianet welcomes new Data Operations Apprentices
April 2020 we have welcomed Danny Liu & Ashley Haymen to the Data Operations Team under the supervision of Maret Ward, Learning and Development specialist, and Kieran Alden, Lead Data Scientist. Whilst 2020 has brought it’s own challenges to the organisation we have still been able to commit to the grow within vision and invest £30,000 funding towards their Level 4 Data Analyst apprenticeships with QA apprenticeships.
Maret Ward said “Our apprenticeship programme is now an integral part of our business and we are excited at the prospect of further investing into the future with an IT apprenticeships and beyond.
By growing our own talent, and being committed to keeping it. We will have employees uniquely placed to fulfil all our requirements, who we know will embrace further apprenticeships as they become appropriate and will reward us with loyalty and add to our ‘corporate memory’.”
Encouraging growth and development throughout the business
Apprenticeships are not just about taking on new employees, they are about maximising the potential of our existing employees. Whatever their age, whatever their previous learning, the apprenticeship programme is about giving anyone the chance to develop and grow.
The company has previously taken on apprentices and its incredibly rewarding for everyone involved. To see employees go on to grow and progress a successful career off the back of it is fantastic, whether that’s been within Vianet or onto pastures new.
We are proud of Danny and Ashley and everything they have achieved. A great example of how apprenticeships not only give knowledge and skills on how to, but also proof that learning helps to inspire others who witness it. We cannot wait to see how their career unfolds and we look forward to helping support you with your future aspirations.
Not only have we taken on new apprentices, but as Vianet grows as a business, there is opportunities arising for students and graduates too. We are currently recruiting for a Marketing Intern to join our brand new marketing team through Teesside Universities’ Student Futures programme. Applications are still open for this position, so if you’re a Teesside University student and interested in applying, be quick. The deadline for this is Friday 7th August 2020. This position can be found at https://studentfutures.tees.ac.uk