Ladder for the Black Country: Seeing double as twins get apprentice posts

Hannah was initially recruited to the Business Administrator Level 3 apprenticeship in June 2021 having seen the vacancy on the government’s Find an Apprenticeship site. She got stuck into the role right from day one and the team joked that they needed to find ‘another Hannah’ to fill their outstanding vacancy.

It was at that stage Hannah owned up to having a twin sister – Sophie.

Lisa Nealen, line manager for the apprentices, enquired if Sophie would be interested in applying. The rest is history with Sophie joining the team in October 2021.

Lisa said that the twins, who work within the apprenticeship team at Juniper Training - based at at Hilton Cross Business Park on the outskirts of Wolverhampton - “are very eager and willing to take on and learn new aspects of the job".

She added: "They are both heavily involved in all administrative tasks, from advertising vacancies, processing starts, exam bookings, digital accounts and audits. The team really couldn’t work without them now.”

Hannah admits that being an apprentice has helped build her confidence immensely and has given her the opportunity to develop new skills and knowledge by trying out different elements of the job.

Sophie says that having the chance to earn while she learns has enhanced her knowledge of the workplace setting and given her the chance to explore new activities and working practices.

Lisa added: "This is a unique situation for Juniper who have never before employed twins, and it’s great to see them thriving in their roles.

"They have certainly become an integral part of the administration team, so much so that the twins were recently presented with recognition awards for their hard work and dedication, immersing themselves in the core business, never encountering problems – always finding solutions."

Sam Broomhall, head of business development who presented the awards said: “They are a testament to what Juniper stands for as a business. They demonstrate that apprentices really do make a difference and by investing as employers, they support productivity, opportunity to grow your own talent and by providing them with the right guidance and support, we hope they will have a long and prosperous career with us."

Both Hannah and Sophie are very supportive of the apprenticeships route and would encourage anyone looking to start their career to consider applying for an apprenticeship.

For further information about apprenticeships, traineeships or study programmes, contact Juniper Training on 01902 864194 or email enquiries@junipertraining.co.uk or visit junipertraining.co.uk

The Ladder for The Black Country is the apprenticeship programme supported by the Express & Star. Visit ladderfortheblackcountry.co.uk