Over 1,000 young people from across the country applied to study a Degree Apprenticeship at Europe’s leading telecommunications company and with just three position available, an A Level learner at Cheshire College has fought off tough competition to secure her place.
17-year-old Oriana Paraschiv, who studies A Level Computer Science, Mathematics and Physics at Cheshire College’s Crewe Campus, applied for Vodafone’s Software Engineering Apprenticeship at the end of 2020 and after a rigorous interview process spanning over four months she received the call to say she had been successful.
An extremely high-achiever at the College, Oriana impressed the Vodafone team with her technical know-how and ability, so much so that she has secured an unconditional offer and will be relocating over 150 miles down south to take the next step in her career journey when the apprenticeship starts in September.
Commenting on her success, Oriana said: “I’m really proud of myself and what I have achieved. The interview process was tough and involved written essays and video calls before a six-hour virtual interview which included group activities, individual problem solving tasks and a technical interview, but it was all worth it to secure the role. I was so happy when I was told I’d been successful and can’t wait to get started.
“In order to get a permanent job in the software industry you need a lot of experience and whilst I did apply for university too, this degree apprenticeship will provide me with the opportunity to get hands on experience whilst studying for a degree too!”
As Cheshire’s largest provider of post-16 education, the College offers over 30 different A Level subjects for learners to choose from, which are taught by subject-specialists in university-standard facilities. With a fantastic support team to help the transition from high school to College, learners are able to experience a more independent way of studying and learning.
Sarah Bradley, Assistant Director of A Levels at Cheshire College, said: “We are extremely proud Oriana has secured such a prestigious Degree Apprenticeship with Vodafone. She has worked so hard both inside and outside of College to ensure she has the skills and knowledge to achieve her dreams of becoming a Software Engineer, often completing extra reading and research at home to complement her in-class learning.
“At Cheshire College we ensure all our learners are provided with the information they need to make informed decisions about the progression routes available to them after successful completion of their course and we’re seeing a fantastic increase in the number of learners going on to study Degree Apprenticeships.”
As part of the wide range of study programmes Cheshire College deliver for young people and adults, they provide a comprehensive Higher Education undergraduate study programme and work alongside their university partners to offer a range of Foundation Degrees, Top-Up Degrees, Full Degrees and Degree Apprenticeships across subjects such as Education, Business, Visual Arts, Construction and Engineering.
To find out more about A Levels or Higher Education at Cheshire College visit www.ccsw.ac.uk – there’s never been a better time to Get In, Stand Out.