Case Study: Hayley Heinze @ Hampshire County Council
With the increased demand for sustainability champions within businesses across the country, we’ve seen the LDN Level 4 Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability grow and expand since we launched it in 2022.
One of our most recent winners of Apprentice of the Month has been making a real impact on her local community in her role as Food Insecurity Partnerships Officer.
Hayley is one of many LDN Apprentices who started an apprenticeship whilst in her current role and we wanted to find out more about what it’s like to start an apprenticeship programme at this stage in her career.
We took the opportunity to chat with Hayley and her line manager Sarah to learn about the impact she’s having not only at Hampshire County Council but also on her wider community. Here’s everything they had to say on that and their experience with LDN Apprenticeships.
What inspired you to apply for the Corporate Responsibility & Sustainability apprenticeship with LDN?
Hayley: My manager saw the course and thought it would be something that would interest me. She was right! The benefit of learning more about what lies behind and drives forward the need for change, and consideration of the social as well as climate impact, alongside learning how to do this inclusively and responsibly, piqued my interest.
What led you to encourage Hayley to apply for this apprenticeship with LDN?
Sarah: I saw the course advertised on our internal news site and thought it would be a good way of underpinning the work Hayley was already doing around sustainable approaches to food insecurity and a means of bolstering her skills and knowledge base.
What inspired your career change to become Community pantry coordinator for Hampshire County Council?
Hayley: I was already working in Hampshire County Council and was looking for a change in direction where I was using my skills but I wanted to feel I was having a more direct impact on Hampshire residents.
When I saw the role of Community pantry coordinator it ticked all the boxes of utilising my skills but being able to stretch myself further, whilst having a positive impact on others.
Once I was working in the role my manager approached me about considering the CR&S apprenticeship. I am thankful for that opportunity, it has not only supported the work I do but it has enabled me to have a bigger impact with the role being extended to Food Insecurity Partnership Officer.
How are you embedding Corporate Responsibility & sustainability at Hampshire County Council?
Sarah: Hampshire County Council is a large organisation. For our part, we are working strategically with partners to address inequality and develop sustainable approaches to food insecurity.
How much did you know about Corporate Responsibility & sustainability before you began the apprenticeship?
Hayley: If I am being honest, I started the course thinking my knowledge was scarce but the more I have learnt, the more I have realised I did know about different aspects of CR&S I just didn’t realise that it fell under that remit. As I started breaking down the course into its components, I found some of it is already engrained in my work as well as some of my daily living.
How have you supported Hayley’s development since she started her apprenticeship alongside her existing role?
Sarah: I don’t see the two as separate, we would be considering Hayley’s development anyway – the apprenticeship has been a useful vehicle for learning and enabling Hayley to have a greater impact in her role. I continue to support her by ensuring she has adequate study time, that Hayley has ample opportunity to align her work with the objectives of the course, and in meetings with her LDN skills tutor.
What have you learned via LDN and the apprenticeship that you’ve been able to implement at Hampshire County Council?
Hayley: For me personally it is having learnt about horizon scanning techniques and identifying the current landscape of what there is within Hampshire relevant to the work I am doing. This has enabled me to research not only what we do have but also to look at good practice beyond that. It has given me the confidence to approach councils and organisations about learning from each other, developing resources and sharing what has and hasn’t worked so well. This has led me to strengthen my skills in developing partnerships that have brought positive impacts into Hampshire. One of which is the partnership I initiated with UKHarvest and Vivid, to develop a food surplus collection and redistribution network in Hampshire.
What has been the impact on your team since Hayley started her latest role within strategic partnerships?
Sarah: It’s been really helpful to have Hayley’s perspective looking at the sustainability of various projects within our team and those of our partners.
How did you feel about beginning a new apprenticeship at this stage in your career?
Hayley: Being the age I am and having completed two other Level 4 NVQs a number of years ago, I vowed that I wouldn’t enter any form of education again. So initially it was a bit daunting, however because of the subject matter and the love of the work I am doing, it has been rewarding. I am very glad I pushed myself outside of my comfort zone. It really is never too late to gain a qualification!
What advice would you give to other employers thinking about taking on Apprentices via LDN?
Sarah: Hayley was already working with us, so I’d encourage employers to consider apprenticeships as a means of developing their teams. In doing so, I’d suggest not only considering the skills and knowledge needed now but also what will be relevant and important in the future.
What advice do you have for anyone considering starting the Corporate Responsibility & sustainability apprenticeship with LDN?
Hayley: Do not be put off by worrying you don’t have much knowledge about the subject, as long as you have the drive and interest to learn about it. You will probably begin to realise as you work through the apprenticeship, whether it be from professional or personal experience, you already do know about some aspects of it. The other thing to remember is whether your main area of focus is on the climate or social impact, the content is relevant to both. For those of us who are of a more mature age do not be put off by the word apprenticeship, this is relevant and available to everyone. Have the courage to push yourself outside of your comfort zone.
Huge thank you to Hayley and Sarah for taking the time to talk to us. We have loved hearing about Hayley’s journey with her apprenticeship.