Destination Chesterfield

A number of the town’s business leaders and figureheads started their careers as former apprentices in Chesterfield, including former Chesterfield Borough Council’s Leader Cllr John Burrows, who began his career as an apprentice with the National Coal Board.

Former apprentices in Chesterfield are now making waves nationally, including Marcus Leverton, director of Leverton UK, and the youngest ever person to become a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) in 2014.

Liz Fisher, Head of Tax at Mitchells Chartered Accountants and Business Advisers last year scooped top honours in a national Chartered Institute of Taxation exam. She beat more than 1000 candidates to gain the highest marks and was awarded the prestigious Ronald Ison Medal and the CCH Prize for the highest distinction mark awarded in the UK.

As a former apprentice himself, David Penk understands the value that apprentices bring to a business and has employed more than 20 since he established Penk Insurance in Chesterfield in 1989.

Charlotte Gratton started as an Events Apprentice at Ashgate Hospicecare in 2013. Since then she has progressed through various roles in the company from Marketing Assistant, to Events Fundraiser to recently taking on the position of Partnership Executive of the Fundraising team only 4 years after the apprenticeship began.

Hannah Bartlett is a more recent former apprentice, having completed her Level 2 and 3 ICT Apprenticeship in 2014.  She is currently employed as a ICT Project Support Officer arvato.