Bubbly Natalie is toast of New Charter

She’s not old enough to taste it, but champagne corks were popping at Natalie Welch’s success on New Charter’s annual Staff Awards night.

Natalie (17) was named as New Charter’s Modern Apprentice of the Year 2009.

She lives in Werneth Avenue, Gee Cross, Hyde. She was selected for the award from more than 30 current modern apprentices. Natalie joined New Charter in September 2008 on a three-year clerical apprenticeship.

Natalie went to Alder Community High School in Hyde and left with 12 excellent GSCE passes. Although many of her friends opted to continue to sixth form, Natalie had decided she wanted to enter the world of work.

“My mum and dad are my best career advisers,” said Natalie, “and they encouraged me to seek out apprenticeships. My dad, David, was an apprentice himself with what is now Royal Mail, and he knows the value of training.”

Natalie tried a few other companies before choosing to try her luck with New Charter. “Other family members pointed me towards New Charter. I was vaguely aware of what it did, and I’d seen that more than 1,000 applicants tried each year to get taken on.

“But I’m glad I did. I passed my NVQ in Business Administration in my first year at Tameside College, helped by the support and supervision of my manager, Fatema Uddin. I am now thinking of pursuing a career in neighbourhood housing management.”

Natalie collected a glass trophy, certificate and the £300 prize from Martin Frost, Deputy Chief Executive of New Charter. He said: “There’s no better experience than recognising excellence among our workforce. We have a crop of talented apprentices, who I am confident will be great for our business in the future. Natalie is a worthy winner and she already shows some of the skills we need to continue our success. Great companies need great people, and I hope she will continue to develop with us.”

New Charter has recruited 78 modern apprentices in the last 8 years.  It works with Skills Solutions to ensure all its clerical and trade modern apprenticeships offer the best start to careers. The Modern Apprentice of the Year award is sponsored by Tameside College, a long-time training partner.
www.newcharter.co.uk