Courtney Conroy has joined the Cheltenham-based Target Group as its first apprentice.
Courtney, 19, was brought up in Huddersfield and South Africa and left college last year with a BTEC in art and design.
“I thought about going to university to study fashion promotion, but I decided to get stuck in and find a job instead, preferably in the media,” said Courtney.
“I checked out all the apprenticeships, thinking they’d be for plumbers and painters, but I was excited to find Target instead.”
The opportunity to join Target’s 13-strong team came about partly as a result of the Echo/Citizen 100inONEHUNDRED Apprenticeship Challenge.
Target hooked up with Cirencester College which is offering its first marketing apprenticeship, leading to a Chartered Institute of Marketing CIM certificate. Courtney will spend two days per month at college for 18 months.
Target Chief Executive, Sarah Bryars, said: “Marketing is usually viewed as a graduate profession, but with young people increasingly looking for alternatives to university, we’ve broadened our approach to recruiting new talent.
“Our link with Cirencester College is a first, and we’re delighted to have Courtney on board.”
