Sarah Gillespie from Fujitsu has been named ‘Higher Level Apprentice of the Year’
Sarah Gillespie, who up until 3 years ago had no ICT training, has been named ‘Higher Level Apprentice of the Year’ at the 2018 Department for the Economy’s Apprentice of the Year Awards.
A qualified pharmacist, Sarah had no IT experience when she decided to sign up to an apprenticeship programme delivered by Belfast Met and leading ICT company, Fujitsu. Having completed a Level 3 apprenticeship, Sarah is now a member of Fujitsu’s Shared Services team and helps resolve technical issues on behalf of customers across the business.
Studying part time for a foundation degree in Software Engineering at North West Regional College, Sarah has achieved the highest grades this year for Programming across the course.
Receiving her award from the Department’s Permanent Secretary Noel Lavery and business personality, Sarah Travers, Sarah Gillespie said; “It is a huge honour to be recognised as an Apprentice of the Year, and I’m grateful to the support of Fujitsu and my tutors at North West Regional College for their ongoing encouragement and guidance. I think it’s important for those in the tech sector, especially apprenticeships, to shine a light on what it’s like to work in industry and help motivate students into the ever-evolving, fast paced world of ICT and the Apprentice of the Year Awards are a great way to do that.”
Congratulating Sarah, David Clements, Fujitsu’s Client Managing Director, NI said; “We are absolutely delighted that Sarah’s continued hard work and determination continues to be recognised. She embodies all the skills and characteristics that make for a great ICT leader; a creative flair, attention to detail, problem solving and communications skills. Sarah is a fantastic ambassador not just for our business but for the sector as a whole as we look to encourage young people to embark on a career in technology.”
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