{"id":23917,"date":"2026-01-06T13:12:31","date_gmt":"2026-01-06T13:12:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thebusinessculture.co.uk\/hey\/good-news\/developing-employability-skills-claires-journey-at-boston-energy\/"},"modified":"2026-01-06T13:12:31","modified_gmt":"2026-01-06T13:12:31","slug":"developing-employability-skills-claires-journey-at-boston-energy","status":"publish","type":"good-news","link":"https:\/\/thebusinessculture.co.uk\/hey\/good-news\/developing-employability-skills-claires-journey-at-boston-energy\/","title":{"rendered":"Developing Employability Skills: Claire\u2019s Journey at Boston Energy"},"content":{"rendered":"<h4 class=\"wp-block-themeisle-blocks-advanced-columns-overlay\" style=\"text-align: left\">When Claire first came to HBTC, she was ready for a fresh start but wasn\u2019t sure where to begin. After completing college and spending time working in a takeaway, she knew she wanted to rebuild her confidence, update her skills and find a role that offered real career progression.<\/h4>\n<div class=\"innerblocks-wrap\" data-base-font-size=\"17\">\n<div id=\"wp-block-themeisle-blocks-advanced-column-e4e508d5\" class=\"wp-block-themeisle-blocks-advanced-column\" data-base-font-size=\"17\">\n<p style=\"text-align: left\" data-base-font-size=\"17\">Through HBTC\u2019s employability skills course and apprenticeship programme, Claire has been able to do exactly that, growing her abilities, finding her strengths and building a career she is truly proud of.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\" data-base-font-size=\"17\">Today, as she reaches the end of her Level 3 Customer Service Apprenticeship with\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/bostonenergy.co.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-base-font-size=\"17\">Boston Energy<\/a>, her journey stands as a testament to what happens when determination meets the right support.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"text-align: left\" data-base-font-size=\"34\">Building Strong Foundations: The Employability Skills Course<\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\" data-base-font-size=\"17\">Before starting her apprenticeship, Claire took part in our Level 1 Employability Skills course to refresh her knowledge and prepare for an office-based role. After being out of education for a while, the course gave her exactly the boost she needed.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\" data-base-font-size=\"17\">\u201c<em data-base-font-size=\"17\">The employability skills course was useful for me, as I had been out of college for two years and working at a takeaway, which does not require the same skills as administrative job roles do. It was a good refresh, and it taught me a lot.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\" data-base-font-size=\"17\">Claire\u2019s tutor, Dorian, saw her progress firsthand and noticed just how quickly she began to grow in confidence and ability:<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\"><em data-base-font-size=\"17\">\u201cDuring her time on the Employability Skills course, I saw Claire\u2019s knowledge and confidence grow exponentially. By the end of the course, she had developed her IT skills, written and verbal communication skills, and overall self-confidence.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\" data-base-font-size=\"17\">Claire learned practical skills that she now uses daily, including understanding tax and pensions, and most importantly, building her confidence with Excel, which has become a big part of her role.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\" data-base-font-size=\"17\">Her tutor also explained just how powerful this short programme can be:<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\"><em data-base-font-size=\"17\">\u201cThe employability skills course has helped many learners develop or enhance the skills needed to secure an apprenticeship; despite it only being a three-week course, the difference in some learners\u2019 self-confidence is night and day. I couldn\u2019t recommend the course enough!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"text-align: left\"><strong data-base-font-size=\"34\">Starting her Apprenticeship Journey<\/strong><\/h2>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\" style=\"text-align: left\" data-base-font-size=\"17\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-23091 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hbtc.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-2-900x1200.png\" alt=\"Photo of Claire, who did Employability Skills Course and is now doing her Level 3 Customer Service Apprenticeship at Boston Energy. \" width=\"206\" height=\"275\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\" data-base-font-size=\"17\">Claire first came across the apprenticeship opportunity through LinkedIn and was supported by HBTC with a range of job options. Following the liquidation of her previous workplace, she decided an apprenticeship would help her gain new qualifications and practical experience.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\" data-base-font-size=\"17\">She interviewed for two roles in the same week: one at a school and another at Boston Energy. After researching both companies, she felt drawn to Boston Energy\u2019s values and opportunities.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\"><em data-base-font-size=\"17\">\u201cI searched up both companies and realised I liked the sound of Boston Energy and what they had to offer. I attended the Boston Energy interview first and got the job instantly\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\" data-base-font-size=\"17\">Although she was unsure what to expect from the apprenticeship, she quickly discovered just how valuable it would be.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left\" style=\"text-align: left\"><strong data-base-font-size=\"34\">Growth, Skills and Newfound Confidence<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\" data-base-font-size=\"17\">Throughout her apprenticeship, Claire\u2019s confidence has soared. She has grown from someone who preferred sending messages over Teams to someone who now communicates comfortably with customers, technicians, and colleagues both in person and over the phone.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\"><em data-base-font-size=\"17\">\u201cThis apprenticeship has helped me to find and gain confidence in all aspects\u2026 I am not afraid to add my opinion now. I never used to be confident enough to get up and speak to colleagues, so I have improved drastically.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"text-align: left\"><strong>Achievements and Highlights<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\" data-base-font-size=\"17\">One of Claire\u2019s standout achievements has been maintaining a\u00a0<strong data-base-font-size=\"17\">compliance rate of over 98%<\/strong>\u00a0for technicians \u2013 an impressive goal to reach during her first year.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\" data-base-font-size=\"17\">She also challenged herself by stepping into a completely new team. What initially felt like being \u201cthrown in the deep end\u201d became an opportunity to shine. She learned how to manage training bookings independently and is now the go-to person for training-related queries within her department.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"text-align: left\" data-base-font-size=\"34\">Looking Ahead: A Bright Future<\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\" data-base-font-size=\"17\">With her apprenticeships nearly complete, Claire feels well-prepared for the next stage of her career.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\"><em data-base-font-size=\"17\">\u201cThis apprenticeship has guided me to a future I never thought I could have\u2026 It has helped me progress and build confidence in myself, which I know will be a great help for my future aspirations.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\" data-base-font-size=\"17\">She plans to continue her journey with Boston Energy, with hopes of progressing into roles such as Project Coordinator, Manager, or within another department where she can further develop her skills and experience.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"text-align: left\" data-base-font-size=\"34\">Claire\u2019s Advice to Future Apprentices<\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\" data-base-font-size=\"17\">When asked if she would recommend an apprenticeship, Claire\u2019s answer was clear:<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\"><em data-base-font-size=\"17\">\u201cIt is a great way to further your skills and build confidence. If you are willing to work hard and want an improvement in both your work skills and personal skills, I would definitely recommend taking on a customer service apprenticeship.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"text-align: left\" data-base-font-size=\"34\">A Journey Worth Celebrating<\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\" data-base-font-size=\"17\">Claire\u2019s journey from employability training to thriving within a large, fast-growing organisation shows the power of apprenticeships in opening doors, building confidence, and transforming futures.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\" data-base-font-size=\"17\">HBTC is proud to have been part of Claire\u2019s journey, and we look forward to seeing where her career takes her next.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\" data-base-font-size=\"17\">If you\u2019re a learner ready to start your career journey, or a business looking to grow your team, get in touch with us on\u00a0<strong data-base-font-size=\"17\">01482 211714<\/strong>. Or, check out <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hbtc.co.uk\/find-an-apprenticeship\/\">our current apprenticeship vacancies<\/a> and take the first step. We\u2019re here to help you succeed!\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When Claire first came to HBTC, she was ready for a fresh start but wasn\u2019t sure where to begin. After completing college and spending time working in a takeaway, she knew","protected":false},"author":12313124,"featured_media":23918,"template":"","good_news_category":[7],"class_list":["post-23917","good-news","type-good-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","good_news_category-achievement"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thebusinessculture.co.uk\/hey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/good-news\/23917","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thebusinessculture.co.uk\/hey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/good-news"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thebusinessculture.co.uk\/hey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/good-news"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thebusinessculture.co.uk\/hey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12313124"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/thebusinessculture.co.uk\/hey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/good-news\/23917\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thebusinessculture.co.uk\/hey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23918"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thebusinessculture.co.uk\/hey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23917"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"good_news_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thebusinessculture.co.uk\/hey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/good_news_category?post=23917"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}