SLC announces new Darlington apprenticeships to mark National Apprenticeship Week
SLC launches its search for 12 new apprentices in Darlington
To mark National Apprenticeship Week (6-12 February), the Student Loans Company (SLC) has announced it is recruiting for 12 new apprentices in Darlington.
Applications for the Student Finance Officer Apprenticeships open on 6 February and successful candidates will join the organisation’s Operations team in July.
SLC supports students across the UK to invest in their futures and unlock their potential by administering loans and grants to students in universities and colleges across the UK. The new Student Finance Officer apprentices will be at the heart of this operation, supporting customers through their student finance journeys and helping to process around 2million applications each year.
The 18-month programme is being run in conjunction with Darlington College and apprentices will work towards will work towards apprenticeship certificates in L3 Business Administrator and L2 Customer Relation Practitioner.
Jackie Currie, Interim Executive Director of Operations at SLC said: “It’s fantastic that we are able to launch our latest apprentice search during National Apprenticeship Week and I’m looking forward to welcoming a new cohort of apprentices to the Operations Team this summer. It’s a fantastic opportunity for people in the north east to get great experience with a large public sector organisation and achieve a recognised qualification at the same time.
“At SLC we’re passionate about growing a talented, diverse and skilled workforce. Our Apprenticeship programme forms an important part of this approach which is why we make sure our apprentices are equipped with the tools they need to develop their expertise and achieve their career goals.”
SLC is committed to creating career opportunities through its Emerging Talent programme and currently has 68 apprentices working across all areas of the business including in its Operations, People and IT teams. Many former apprentices have also continued to progress their careers with SLC after leaving the programme.
Lauren Gill, 24, from Darlington is currently a Performance Analyst within the Technology Group. She joined the organisation as an apprentice in 2017.
She said: “I applied for an apprenticeship as I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to do when I left school. I’d previously had jobs in customer service and have a real passion to get things right for customers, so a customer focussed apprenticeship felt like the perfect fit.
“When I started, I would never have expected to progress as far in five years. I wanted to push myself, but I also had the support and encouragement of all my team leaders. I would encourage anyone to consider an apprenticeship, it’s a great way to start your career.”
Paula Willis, Curriculum Manager at Darlington College, said: “It is fantastic to continue our longstanding relationship working with Student Loans Company and supporting the organisation in the recruitment of new cohorts of apprentices. It is very inspirational to see how the training and support from the employer transpires into great careers for our apprentices.”
Find out more and apply for a Student Finance Officer apprenticeship in Darlington.