Leicester College student appointed as new Trainee Assessor

Tia Whelan, former Apprentice of the Year, graduates apprenticeship and takes on new role as Multi-Skilled Trainee Assessor (@LeicesterColl)

Tia Whelan, who completed the Property Maintenance Operative apprenticeship course at Leicester College in 2019, has been appointed as a new Multi-Skilled Trainee Assessor with the College’s apprenticeship team.

The post is a new role for the College and Tia’s responsibilities will include visiting apprentices at their work placement, offering advice and help with their end point assessments, and supporting apprentices with their studies at college and with their practical work such as brickwork and carpentry. In this new role, Tia will support students to reach their full potential, learn new skills and encourage them to achieve their goals.

Tia completed a three-year course at Leicester College and an apprenticeship with UK Gas Services. She won the Apprentice of the Year award at the national Association of Colleges’ (AoC) Student of the Year Awards in 2019 and was also one of two regional finalists in the National Apprenticeship Awards in the Intermediate Apprentice of the Year category. In 2020, as part of National Apprenticeship Week, Tia took on the role of Apprenticeship Ambassador for Leicester College and visited schools and colleges to speak to students about the construction industry and promote the programme to female students.

Commenting on her new role Tia said: “I wanted to do this role as I have been on the Property Maintenance Operative course, so I know what it entails as a student. I wanted to be able to encourage and help the students like my assessor helped me.

“I have always wanted to be a part of the Leicester College team. The apprenticeship team got me my first apprenticeship which was a fantastic place to work so I want to help students in the way I was helped.”

Tina Jivraj, Business Development Manager and Key Account Manager for the College’s Apprenticeship Team added:

“We’re all so proud of what Tia has achieved since starting her apprenticeship course. She is a shining example of how apprenticeships can lead to so many opportunities. We were delighted that Tia applied for the post of Multi-Skilled Trainee Assessor and she had all the experience, attitude and enthusiasm we were looking for to inspire and support our apprenticeship students.”