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Jamie Nixon, a self-confessed “workaholic” from Snodland in Kent, has worked at Parkfoot garage & convenience store in nearby West Malling from when he was still at school.
He completed the Retailer Level 2 course with a distinction mark and was immediately offered a Level 3 Manager apprenticeship by A.F. Blakemore, which he began in August.
He was offered a full-time job at Parkfoot while still at sixth form and has since gone from shelf-stacker to supervisor at the independent family-run store, which operates a petrol station, jet wash, grocery, butchers and bakery.
He has now set his sights on successfully completing a manager’s apprenticeship with his newfound confidence. The apprenticeships were provided through a partnership that PTP has with A.F. Blakemore & Son Ltd, the Black Country-based national grocery supplier.
Jamie, aged 32, who is married with two children said: “I decided it would be great to do the Level 2 Retailer apprenticeship as it would increase my knowledge of the sector. It also meant I had to re-do my GCSE Maths and English, which was a big worry for me as I don’t really do well at tests.
“But with the help of my PTP tutor Vanessa Langford I was given the confidence to get the tests and the rest of the course done. “I found the first course extremely helpful and have been using my new skills at work, so I thought why not take the next step with the higher apprenticeship.”