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A Midlands card and gift shop is recruiting a new retail apprentice with the help of training experts at Performance Through People (PTP), following previous successful appointments.
Tinkerbell’s Cards & Gifts in Hednesford, Staffordshire, has received funding to take on a new Level 2 retail apprentice sales assistant to work in the shop.
PTP, part of the BCTG group, has previously provided two similar apprentices to Tinkerbell’s, located on the town’s Market Street.
Tinkerbell’s, a small independent retailer, is now able to recruit another apprentice having successfully applied for a grant from Staffordshire County Council towards taking on a new member of staff.
The card and gift shop has a good record of developing apprentices, having previously won Small Employer of the Year at the 2020 Birmingham Apprenticeship Awards.
Andrea Lamb of Tinkerbell’s, who is a co-director with her husband Darren, said: “We have used Performance Through People in the past, so decided to turn to them again now that we need a new apprentice.
“When we opened the business just over four years ago we started from scratch with things like stock and I’ve worked very hard to build our reputation and goodwill.
“There was already an apprentice from the previous retail establishment, placed through PTP, and we retained her until 2022 when she left to pursue a career in the care sector.
“We took on another apprentice from PTP at the end of 2019 who went on to attain the highest grade of distinction and, were it not for Covid, I’m sure may also have stayed with us longer.”
Jackie Webb, a learning and development tutor at PTP Training, said: “We are delighted that our previous apprentices were such a success at Tinkerbell’s and we are confident that we can quickly find another suitable candidate.”
Mrs Lamb added: “Even through Covid, PTP was still able to provide the support and training to myself and our apprentice for her to go on and obtain her high grade.
“It was a difficult time for everyone but we all adapted to achieve the end goal, and I will always be grateful to Jackie for her help and for nominating Tinkerbell’s for Small Employer of the Year at the apprenticeship awards.”
Mrs Lamb said the new apprentice would spend up to 18 months learning the ropes of working in retail.
She added: “They will be serving the public, stock checking and pricing, cash handling, rotating and replenishing stock, and merchandising goods in displays and on shelves.
“We have lots of gifts so keep looking to make everything fresh for the public.
“They will also help to compose and write greeting cards for some of our lovely customers, as well as learn how to sell our personalised gifts which are designed in house, including balloons, banners, sashes and personalised frames.”
Anyone wanting more information about Tinkerbell’s can visit the site through clicking here.