Arden celebrates another apprenticeship success

Posted on: Saturday, June 6th, 2026

The Arden Group is celebrating another apprenticeship success story, highlighting our continued commitment to developing talent and investing in the next generation of skilled employees.

Arden runs a successful apprenticeship programme and our latest ‘graduate’ is IT Support Technician John Ellis, who has recently completed his apprenticeship, achieving a Distinction.

After joining Arden in August 2024, John has been working towards a ‘Level 3 Information Communications Technician – Azure Cloud Support Specialist’ qualification, alongside his role within the IT Support Team at our Marple headquarters.

Delivered in partnership with QA Apprenticeships, the apprenticeship took 17 months to complete and combined online learning with hands-on workplace experience, allowing John to develop practical skills while supporting day-to-day IT operations across the business.

He said: “The apprenticeship has been a brilliant, in-depth introduction into the IT industry, and Arden have given me overwhelming support every step of the way.

“The course greatly supported me by providing relevant knowledge and practical training that I could apply directly to the job. I found myself trying new approaches to common problems using techniques and skills I had learnt during my training, which allowed me to better support the Arden Team.

“I’d like to thank everyone at Arden for making me feel welcome and at home throughout my time working on the course.”

After completing the apprenticeship, John is now looking forward to continuing his role within the IT Team and further expanding his skills and experience. And he says he’d recommend the apprenticeship route to anyone.

“I had never explicitly planned to do an apprenticeship,” he explained.

“But it was a no-brainer once I saw that the opportunity offered on-the-job experience alongside valuable training to expand my existing knowledge.

“I’d say to anyone considering an apprenticeship – just go for it, especially if you learn best by doing rather than studying.”

Paula Lawlor, Group IT Manager at Arden, added: “We’re really proud of John and everything he has achieved during his apprenticeship, and it’s been brilliant to see him grow in confidence and develop his skills during his time with us.

“Here at Arden, we’re strong advocates of apprenticeships which are a fantastic way for people to develop valuable skills and gain practical experience, while also supporting businesses to grow and strengthen their teams for the future.”