Employer Focus: Mortgages Explained

Mortgages Explained is a highly professional and welcoming mortgage advice company, with years of experience and led by a specialist team of experts. The organisation prides itself on building long lasting relationships with its customers by providing a personalised service tailored to their needs. We spoke to Sue Maddern, Office Manager, to find out more about the company and its apprentices.

“The organisation has grown significantly since it first opened its doors. Our apprentices have helped to deal with a lot of admin, allowing our advisors to take on more clients and increase business.

“Our apprentices gain a great deal of experience, learning on a one-to-one basis from trained advisors who have been in the business for years. The apprentices look after client cases from start to finish, so gain an understanding of the whole process and have a lot of responsibility.”

Daniel Saunders is currently completing his Level 4 Business Administration apprenticeship through Skills Group while working at Mortgages Explained.

“Dan is doing extremely well and is a benefit to the company. He is proactive with his ideas, supportive to other team members and requires minimal supervision – he even helped to set up our business social media accounts. We invest time and further training into our apprentices as we aim to keep them on after they finish their qualification. With Dan, we plan to support him to become a mortgage advisor and develop his career in the sector.

“My advice for other employers thinking of hiring an apprentice would be to spend time recruiting the right person. When we were interviewing Dan, we asked him to come in for a whole day and sit with each member of the team. This meant we got to know him and vice versa, to ensure he was a good fit with our staff.

“We have a good relationship with Skills Group – the team is very professional and we would work with them again in the future.”

I just wanted to say the biggest thank you to Vanessa, my trainer. You have made my journey so much easier, I don’t know what I would have done without you. You have been amazing and helped me to achieve my qualification. You’ve guided me through every step of the way, I really appreciate it, Vanessa, you have been my rock.

Katie Shorland, Level 2 Hairdressing

I always struggled in school as I wasn’t very academic, so knew learning on the job would be a better option for me. I would find it difficult to get up for 9am but now I wake up and look forward to my day. I wanted to try a hair apprenticeship as I’ve always been interested in hairdressing, and by the end of the first week, I already loved it!

Jaimee Benson, Level 2 Hairdressing

I have developed a range of new skills through work including the technical, industry skills required for the job, to personal development such as ensuring I am always on time. The biggest change since leaving school is adjusting to the independence you gain from earning a salary. My advice to anyone thinking of doing an apprenticeship would be find what you like doing, and go for it!

Will Birch, Level 2 Bricklaying

Since starting the apprenticeship, I’ve become far more confident. In a classroom, you only interact with your classmates, but through working you develop your people skills as you interact with customers on a daily basis. At school, you are closely monitored and parented, however I am now more independent and feel grown up

Sam Collard, Level 2 Light Vehicle and Maintenance Repair

The most important thing I’ve learnt since leaving school is that there are other routes to success than just academia. I failed my GCSEs, as I never suited the school environment. Now though, I’m really enjoying my apprenticeship as I’ve discovered I learn more through hands-on practice.

Ben Freeman, Level 2 Carpentry

I would just like to thank you and your team for all the amazing work they do, you have provided me with the most invaluable experience which has helped to pave the way of my future. The work you do for young people is incredible!

Luke Kowalski, Teaching Assistant and former apprentice at Sir Robert Gefferys School