Pictured: Redrow undergraduate Audrey Bushe
In today's evermore competitive job market, work experience is
often the key to climbing the career ladder.
So, as Nottingham Trent University student Audrey Bushe embarks
on a year-long undergraduate work placement with Redrow Homes, she
knows it will stand her in good stead for the future.
Audrey, 20, from Bicester, Oxfordshire, is studying for a BA
honours degree in business management and human resources and opted
for a sandwich course, which involved taking a 'year out' to
undertake a work placement.
She is one of seven under-graduates who have just started a
one-year placement with the award winning housebuilder, as part of
a training programme that's designed to recognise and nurture
future talent. It comes as Redrow also recruits 20 new apprentices
and a number of graduate trainees.
Audrey spends part of her working week at Redrow's head office
in Ewloe, Flintshire, and the rest at Redrow's dedicated training
centre in Tamworth, Staffs. Just a month into her course, the
promising student is confident the experience has already enhanced
her skill set. "It's a steep learning curve," she said. "But I'm
coping with the workload and already feel like I've learnt a lot
and been able to put into practice what I've learnt on my degree
course."
Originally from Zimbabwe, Audrey moved to the UK with her family
in 2004 when her mum got a job as an NHS nurse. She attended
Gosford Hill School, in Kidlington, Oxfordshire, where she did her
GSCE's and four A-Levels, in business studies, IT, law and
government and politics.
She added: "While looking for work experience I saw that Redrow
was offering an undergraduate placement in training and HR. It was
only when I started researching the company that I realised how
large and successful it was so I decided to apply. Since starting
the programme I've been very busy but it's great to work with HR
professionals and learn from them."
In her spare time Audrey is a keen sportswoman and is a member
of the university rowing club. She also enjoys street dancing and
going to the gym. She hopes to gain employment in a HR department
or as part of a consultancy upon graduating.
Richard Beadsmoore, training manager for Redrow, says: "We are
delighted to be once again offering under-graduate trainee
programme for the second year running since it was reintroduced
last year. As unemployment among young people continues to rise, we
see it as an invaluable tool for them to be able to get a foothold
on the career ladder and give them a competitive edge when they
come to seek full-time employment after graduating."
Redrow builds more than 2,500 new homes annually across England
and Wales, with an emphasis on traditional, detached family housing
from its New Heritage Collection. The company directly employs more
than 900 people and provides employment for thousands of
sub-contractors on its housing sites. Its commitment to training
and staff development is evident in the purpose-built training
centre in Tamworth.