Hollie proves it pays to earn and learn
FROM a car-mad family, 21year-old Hollie Morris is now embarking on a career in the motoring industry.
She enrolled on a chartered manager degree apprenticeship last year with Vertu Motors, the UK’s sixth largest motor retailer.
The company created an apprenticeship pathway with Northumbria University and pays £27,000 worth of tuition fees to enable apprentices to leave their studies debt-free, while still earning a basic salary of £18,000.
Successful applicants work towards a BA degree in Business Leadership & Management Practice, while earning on the job as a customer service advisor. The programme also provides the opportunity to achieve ‘Chartered Manager’ status from Northumbria University.
Hollie is based at Bristol Street Motors Vauxhall Lichfield and will finish her degree apprenticeship in the summer of 2020. This will be followed by six months of chartered manager training.
She says: ‘I am the first point of contact for all of our service customers. I chat to them about why their vehicle is in, what will need to be done, explain pricing and answer any queries.
‘It’s my job to look after the customer during that day —for example, letting them know when their car will be finished, dealing with the invoice and sometimes translating what has been done.’
Hollie says it was hard at first to juggle a work life while studying. ‘I do one week at university and three weeks at the dealership, and we have a mix of different assignments which include essays, films and presentations,’ she says.
Hollie was attracted to the degree apprenticeship as it gave her to the opportunity to learn and earn.
She says: ‘My family is car mad. My brother is a computer programmer for Lookers and my dad has worked with Jaguar Land Rover for years.
‘It’s good to have a little bit of family competition now.’
She adds: ‘For anyone thinking of embarking on a degree apprenticeship, I would say it is hard work, but you get paid while you’re learning and at the end you have three years of work experience and a degree.’