The Challenge
The Careers and Enterprise Company (CEC) found themselves short-staffed and under pressure following the departure of a key member of their research and insights team. Facing mounting workloads and time-sensitive projects, they initially began interviewing experienced candidates — but none quite fit the bill.
That’s where The Marketing Trainer stepped in.
The Solution
CEC agreed to explore apprenticeship talent as a sustainable way to fill the gap. The Marketing Trainer ran a fully managed search campaign — including job advertising and candidate screening — entirely free of charge, and supplied CEC with a shortlist of four potential candidates. Among them was Davide, a psychology graduate with both a BSc and MSc, but no commercial market research experience.
Despite the competitive field, Davide stood out. His academic background in research, strong analytical mindset, and appetite to learn saw him clinch the role over a more experienced applicant. Davide was enrolled on the Market Research Executive (Level 4) programme.
The Impact
Over the course of his 15-month Market Research Executive apprenticeship, Davide grew into a key member of the Insight & Impact team. With the guidance of his trainer, Jake Pryszlak, Coach Mitch Goodall, and the support of his line manager, Kiran, Davide developed skills in:
- Data analysis — saving time and improving consistency across key reports
- Survey design and stakeholder engagement — including the successful design and facilitation of a parent questionnaire focus group
- Strategic thinking — streamlining processes and enhancing the credibility and relevance of outputs
Notably, his work on the 44 Career Hub slides showcased both his attention to detail and his ability to align data with clear messaging. He also led on preparing data for the Teacher Encounter analysis — demonstrating his growing ability to deliver credible, actionable insights.
Kiran, Impact and Insight Manager and Davide’s line manager, commented:
“Dave has emerged from the apprenticeship with a much more systematic, strategic approach and is positioned to lead elements of our evaluation and reporting work. His attention to accuracy and his ability to deliver insights that are both relevant and actionable make him a real asset to our team.”
In Davide’s Words
“My apprenticeship journey was an amazing learning experience. There was synergy between what I learned and what I needed to deliver — helping me contribute fully to my team. I aim to grow as a researcher in policy and impact, and I think this apprenticeship will be one of the cornerstones of my career.”
The Result
Through the apprenticeship, Davide developed key skills in survey design and data analysis, which he applied across a range of projects from improving the consistency of data processes to supporting the design of stakeholder questionnaires and contributing to evaluation outputs.
His apprenticeship enabled him to contribute meaningfully to several ongoing projects, including streamlining data processes and enhancing the quality of evaluation work. His line manager, Kiran, noted Davide’s systematic approach and described him as “a real asset to our team”, someone who produces insights that are both accurate and actionable.
Davide’s development was not only reflected in the tasks he delivered, but also in his growing confidence. As the apprenticeship progressed, he began to approach work with a more reflective and critical perspective. Thinking more carefully about process improvements, audience needs, and long-term goals. His support on the data analysis and carrying out focus group are examples of how he contributed to the team’s work in a thoughtful and practical way.
Importantly, by hiring Davide through the apprenticeship route, CEC is estimated to have saved between £6,000 and £10,000 in costs compared to hiring a regular full-time candidate while still gaining someone who delivered value to the team.
This apprenticeship supported CEC in addressing an immediate resourcing need, while also contributing to the longer-term development of capacity within the team. Davide has grown in confidence and capability and is now able to support aspects of CEC’s evaluation and reporting work, reflecting both his development and the value of the Market Research Executive programme delivered by The Marketing Trainer.
