At Dental IT we have always believed that good people are the heart of good IT support, and that some of the best people start out as students taking their first real steps into work. Supporting them is something we are proud to do, and this week we were reminded of exactly why it matters.
We caught up with Michael Rhodes and Lisa Share from Sheffield College to review how our two current T Level placements are getting on, one in IT and one in marketing. It is going really well. Both students are getting stuck into genuine work in a busy business, and we are proud to be giving two local people that experience.
Why we take on placements and apprentices
We have supported apprenticeship and placement programmes for many years, and we do it for two simple reasons. First, it is the right thing to do. Young people deserve a real chance to learn on the job, not just in a classroom. Second, it genuinely helps us too. A motivated student brings fresh energy, a different perspective and an extra pair of hands to a team that is always busy.
T Levels are a great fit for this. They combine classroom learning with a substantial industry placement, so students arrive ready to do real work rather than watch from the sidelines. Our IT placement is getting hands-on with the day to day of supporting practices, and our marketing placement is helping with the kind of work you are reading right now.
From apprentice to lead engineer
If you want proof that this approach works, you do not have to look far. Our lead engineer, David Edge, started with us as an apprentice over ten years ago. Today he handles everything from helpdesk tickets to complex server migrations, and he is one of the most knowledgeable people in the country on dental digital imaging. You can read a bit more about David in our recent piece on strength on and off the platform.
He is not the only one. Over the years we have watched students go on to great careers across the industry, and a good number have stayed and grown with us. The investment pays off, for them and for us.
Giving back to Sheffield
We are a Sheffield business, established for over twenty years, and supporting our local college is part of how we want to do business. Helping the next generation build real, useful skills is good for them, good for us, and good for the city we work in. It is an easy thing to feel good about.
Thank you, and what next
Thank you to Michael, Lisa and the team at Sheffield College, and to our two placement students for the great work so far.
If you are starting out in IT or marketing and want to learn inside a real business, keep an eye on our careers page. And if you would simply like to know more about who we are and how we work, our about page is a good place to start.