Spotlight on Louis – Portsmouth News Apprentice of the Year Finalist!

Meet one of our rising stars! Louis Platt, Payroll Coordinator and one of Liquid Friday’s most promising talents, has been announced as a finalist for Apprentice of the Year at The News Business Excellence Awards  

In this profile, we chat to Louis about his motivations, experiences during his apprenticeship in Business Administration and his plans for the future. 

What motivated you to pursue an apprenticeship in your field, and how has the experience shaped your career aspirations?

I liked the idea of being paid as you also learn, it appealed to me more than the BTEC college course. As I also get my hands dirtier picking up my trade as I go, rather than being at college and learning “the teacher’s way” in a classroom.

How do you find working and studying at the same time?

As I only had to study for one day a week, I found this relatively simple, I never felt like I was in a rush to complete assignments which is always nice. As there was so much to learn here, I had lots of physical evidence which I used towards my grade. The flexibility to complete my apprenticeship work from home was also beneficial.

What was your initial reaction upon learning that you were a finalist in The Portsmouth News Business Excellence Awards?

Just glad to see my work is up to standard, and that it is being noticed from above.

Tell us about the support and mentorship you have received during your apprenticeship.

Massive shout out to Caroline Kelly who was my supervisor with SMART throughout the apprenticeship. She never once made a task confusing and would always make herself available if I ever needed a quick Teams call to help me towards my grade.

And another shout out to my colleagues in payroll who have supported me from starting with no experience, to becoming a qualified Administrator, and then using these qualities to be promoted into a Coordinator role within payroll.

In what ways has your apprenticeship challenged you, and how have you overcome these challenges?

I had an issue where I needed some physical evidence for a task that was not related to my role, so it was hard for me to gain evidence from this. I needed to show times where I had shown examples of booking work related events / meetings.

 Where this is not related to payroll in any way, for me to complete the task, I had to work with Rob (Rob Topple, Liquid Friday Office Manager) to book in some work-related meetings, which was then seen as sufficient for my end grade.

What would you like to do now your apprenticeship is complete? What are your plans / aspirations for your future career?

Now my apprenticeship is complete, my short-term goal will be to continue improving in my new role and then potentially start picking up new responsibilities as time passes. And then long term, I would like to look at doing a Level 5 qualification, just like I know some people at Liquid Friday are already doing, as it would be nice to get as many qualifications as possible in my arsenal.

The sky’s the limit! 

Speaking of Louis’ career journey and award nomination, Joe Taffurelli, COO, said:

“Louis joined Liquid Friday as an apprentice with a passion for finance but with a self-accepted lack of confidence in his academic ability. From the outset, he showed a rare combination of enthusiasm, dedication and an eagerness to learn. Under the mentorship of our seasoned professionals, Louis embraced every opportunity to acquire new skills and knowledge, paving the way for an extraordinary career. 

We’re delighted that Louis has made the shortlist for Apprentice of the Year at the Business Excellence Awards. It serves as recognition of his individual accomplishments but also highlights the transformative impact that a dedicated learner can have on an organisation.”

The sky’s the limit for Louis! We wish him the best of luck on the night, but he’s our winner regardless! 

The News Business Excellence Awards 

The News Business Excellence Awards acknowledge and applaud the achievements of thriving businesses and professionals in Portsmouth and the surrounding region. 

The winner of Apprentice of the Year will be announced at the awards gala,  which takes place at the Guildhall, Portsmouth on Friday 23rd February 2024. 

Liquid Friday is also shortlisted in the categories of Large Business of the Year, Employer of the Year and Community Business of the Year.