Preston woman re-trains after losing job in pandemic and is one of North West’s top apprentices

Emily Bingham lost her job in the pandemic and has shown great resilience to re-train and start again Pic: James Hall & Co

A recruitment co-ordinator at a Preston firm has been named as one of the best apprentice in the North West.

Emily Bingham was one of two level 2 finalists in the National Apprenticeship Awards North West heat in a competition which saw 1,200 nominations.

Emily joined James Hall & Co as a HR administrator on a temporary contract and has progressed rapidly.

She lost her previous job due to the pandemic and has taken the opportunity to re-train when joining the retailer.

On top of her day-to-day responsibilities, Emily has also supported careers events in schools and colleges in the Preston area, promoting Apprenticeships and the broad range of job opportunities at SPAR and James Hall & Co. Ltd.

Emily said: “It is hugely satisfying to be Highly Commended in the National Apprenticeship Awards Regional Final. My Apprenticeship has had a tremendous impact on me and what I want from a career.

“Recruitment was brand new to me, but I quickly realised the wide range of skills and abilities it requires, the dedication it takes to be successful, and the satisfaction of seeing your hard work play out in the form of a successful hire.

“During my Apprenticeship I have developed a genuine passion for recruitment, and I have developed a clear understanding of the importance of recruiting properly when structures are created, and significant time and organisation is put into it.

“A new career was not planned but having lost my previous job because of the Covid-19 pandemic, I have found my place in recruitment as I love working with people.

“I feel driven to continue my career and progress on to eventually manage people and pass on what I have learnt. I am continuing my learning through qualifications, and want to play a key role in enhancing the in-house recruitment service for James Hall & Co. Ltd.”

Paul Armson, Recruitment Manager at James Hall & Co. Ltd, said: “Emily’s award is richly deserved, and I’m thrilled for her to have received recognition in these extremely competitive awards. Her development has been nothing short of phenomenal and she is a natural in the field of recruitment.

“She has developed her ability and knowledge in how to talk to candidates, promote the brand, and organise and carry out assessment sessions, all while also helping to train other HR Administrators to assist the Recruitment Team during busy periods.

“The work she has done has had a genuine positive impact on the business and ensured new teams across Customer Service and Production have been in place on schedule to drive business improvements and growth.”