Opportunity knocks as Derbyshire underdog turned successful businesswoman hunts for apprentice

It’s been a journey and a half for the 32-year-old, who once lived in a caravan outside London- commuting into the capital to gain as much expertise as possible before launching law costs drafting firm Bidwell Henderson from her attic on just £500 in savings.

Now, she manages a team of 42 people across two offices in Alfreton and Newcastle- and is keen to provide a glimmering opportunity to a young person‘who might normally be overlooked on paper’.

“I’m currently looking for an apprentice- I really want to give someone special a chance at a professional career,” said Rebecca.

“I left school with more or less Grade C’s across the board, a pretty average student.

“I remember my peers saying- well, you won’t amount to much with that.

“It made me determined to prove them wrong. I might not have been outstanding academically, but I had heaps of drive and motivation.

“In the past I’ve lived in a caravan, a Travelodge, and done a 7.5 hour round trip commute.

“A potential apprentice doesn’t need to have exceptional qualifications. They just need to be hard-working and keen.

“Too many employers base their decision on academic ability and to my mind this is the wrong approach.”

Chelsea Allcock, 20, is passing on the torch after securing an apprenticeship with the company and working her way up the ladder thanks to mentoring from Rebecca.

She said: “It’s been an amazing experience.

“From the beginning, you won’t be sat filing but learning the inner workings of the business.

“I started off as an admin apprentice but it was soon clear that I really enjoyed marketing roles.

“I worked hard and I’ve since been promoted twice and been entrusted with more responsibility. I’d definitely encourage people to apply.”

The apprenticeship is open to school leavers, college leavers or students who might have dropped out of their University course as they felt it wasn’t right for them. If interested email Chelsea at [email protected] with a CV and cover letter.

For more info visit: https://bidwellhenderson.co.uk/