Finance Apprentice Ellen Colgan awarded 'Highly Commended' at High Sheriff of Cheshire Awards

Finance Apprentice Ellen Colgan has been awarded ‘Highly Commended’ in the Best Apprentice category at the High Sheriff of Cheshire Awards.

The awards ceremony was due to take place on Thursday 26 March but was cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Ellen joined the finance team at the Land Trust in September 2018 and began studying for her AAT Level 3 Advanced Diploma in Accounting qualification, spending one day per week at Warrington and Vale Royal College.

Now a vital member of the team, Ellen has impressed both her colleagues and the category judges. Garry Coombs, Subsidiary and Service Charge Accountant and Ellen’s line manager, said: “Ellen has grown in confidence and become an integral part of the team since she started at the Land Trust.

“She works hard and produces great work. Ellen has been passed responsibility for key tasks within the team and regularly exceeds expected deadlines.

“I’m pleased to see how far Ellen has come on in her time here, and look forward to another year of seeing her progress as she works towards her AAT qualification.”

Ellen is the second Finance Apprentice at the Land Trust to be recognised in the High Sheriff of Cheshire Awards, with Lauryn Parker being awarded ‘outstanding’ in 2019.

Having completed her A-levels, Ellen decided that university wasn’t the right path for her and feels that the decision to do an apprenticeship was the right one, saying: “Since starting this apprenticeship, my confidence has grown hugely.

“Working within the service charge team, customer service is very important, and helping customers has helped me to improve my communication skills, especially when it comes to explaining data and processes.

“One of the main advantages I’ve found with my apprenticeship has been the level of support from my colleagues. This has been invaluable to me in my first steps into the workplace.”

Ellen will receive her certificate in the post and will celebrate with her colleagues when the office is re-opened.