We caught up with Piero Barba Creative Director at Cross Origin, a Sussex based Brand & Digital Agency to hear about their experience hiring a Digital Apprentice.. 

Tell us a bit about your business?

Tim Vaughan and I formed C/O in 2019, focusing on branding and digital output.  Immediately we were faced with the pandemic, causing us to put any expansion plans on hold. Since then, we have grown in terms of experience and clients. In early 2022, we began working on expanding our team as our workload continued to grow. We also found ourselves expanding our service offerings to include digital marketing, motion graphics, animation, and video editing.

Why did you decide an apprentice would be right for your business?

We were introduced to Sam and immediately saw his potential before we decided to engage with Creative Process. Despite facing challenges in completing his design qualifications due to the pandemic, Sam displayed a strong desire to pursue a career in this field. We saw this as an opportunity to offer him a position within our company once he completed his apprenticeship. This arrangement not only allowed us to get to know Sam better but also allowed him to gain qualifications in the field he was passionate about.

What advice would you give to other businesses considering hiring an apprentice?

Hiring an apprentice is a commitment from both parties. It’s very involved and requires encouragement and support as a manager/owner. However, completing it properly will strengthen your team with a capable and talented individual.

What’s surprised you most about having an apprentice?

His ability to develop his skill and learn at speed.

Can you give us any success stories of your apprentice adding value? e.g. hitting KPI’s? Growing social followers? Managing key accounts?

Sam approaches the work we give him with enthusiasm. Going beyond the requirement of the projects and bringing new working methods and ideas to the table. Sam has become a valued member of the team.