October Apprentice of the Month
Elise Benton
Corporate Responsibility & Sustainability Practitioner
We’re delighted to announce Elise @ Premier Modular as our LDN Apprentice of the Month for October!
Nominated by her LDN Skills Coach, Steve Bond, Elise has consistently gone above and beyond in her Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability apprenticeship, making a lasting difference within her organisation.
From leading company-wide wellbeing initiatives and chairing the CSR committee, to driving forward impactful ESG projects and embedding a culture of sustainability, Elise has shown exceptional leadership, dedication, and initiative. Her proactive approach and commitment to continuous improvement have made her a trusted and inspiring figure within her team.
👉 Check out Elise’s nomination from her LDN Skills Coach and Line Manager, and discover the rest of our amazing nominees for October below.
Elise’s Skills Coach:
Elise has been a fantastic learner from the very start of her Apprenticeship, right until her early submission for Gateway. Elise has consistently completed her Training Plan activities and always met her SMART targets extremely effectively. Some of the incredible achievements by Elise include:
Organising and delivering a company-wide Employee Wellbeing Campaign, raising awareness of health initiatives and supporting employee engagement.
Being the Chair of the CSR Committee, where she led on impactful CSR initiatives, including:
Donation of laptops and iPads to schools to support evolving learning.
Organising beach clean events to protect the local environment.
Sponsoring and volunteering at the Blue Light Weekend to show support for emergency services.
Successfully introducing and rolling out the YuLife Wellbeing App across the business, giving staff access to health, wellbeing, and rewards features.
Authoring and implementing a formal CSR Policy, embedding corporate CSR into the company’s culture and operations.
Supporting the delivery of a 16-month Leadership Development Programme for all senior management.
Elise’s line manager:
How have they improved/impacted the business and the team since they started their apprenticeship?
Elise has made a significant impact by driving key ESG and CSR projects, improving team collaboration, enhancing business processes, and fostering a positive, growth-oriented team culture approach to getting the ESG plan implemented. Her contributions are consistently described as proactive, supportive, and high-quality, with tangible benefits for both the business and her colleagues.
Her structured approach and dedication to her work tasks have set a positive example for others, and her willingness to stretch her capabilities (while balancing apprenticeship demands) shows commitment to both personal and business growth.
What three words best describe them? (Please give an example/expand on each)
Proactive: She takes initiative in her workload, schedules meetings, and drives ESG and CSR projects forward independently. I don’t have to chase her for work tasks set; she always takes a proactive approach to this.
Dedicated: She shows strong commitment to her role, excels in her apprenticeship, and is trusted for the quality and accuracy of her work.
Reliable: She helps new team members settle in, leads committees with confidence, stays on top of all of her work and coordinates reporting requirements by staying on top of other commitments needed.
An example of an outstanding piece of work, project or task they have worked on.
One of the most notable achievements highlighted for Elise is her leadership of the CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) committee. Initially, Elise was tentative about taking the lead, as she was new to the business but she quickly grew into the role, now chairing the committee with confidence. She holds members accountable and proposes valuable CSR initiatives to the executive team for approval.
She coordinates all of the head office CSR work projects with finesse and has built a body of evidence that showcases the companies care for its employees and the communities that we work in.
Here’s what was said about the other brilliant nominees:
Karen Linaker @ Wiltshire Council
Karen is a truly dedicated and enthusiastic apprentice who brings energy to everything she does. She’s always eager to learn and constantly reflects on her experiences to improve practice within her team and the wider organisation. Karen takes real pride in her progress, staying organised with her training plan and often going above and beyond, creating engaging, thoughtful evidence pieces that really bring her work to life. She’s an active, supportive presence in every Masterclass, helping others feel confident to share their ideas. Even with a busy workload, Karen recently found time to support future learners by sharing feedback on course content to help make improvements — a genuine reflection of her commitment, professionalism, and collaborative spirit.
Nathan Fernandes @ Amazon
Nathan started his apprenticeship in July and is already flying, with his conscientious approach and dedication to self-improvement. He is very keen to expand his skill set as a marketer and is proactive in finding courses/resources to help him with this. Nathan stays organised with his training plan and carefully allocates his time during the month to ensure that he can submit his portfolio pieces early for feedback. His written work is of great quality and demonstrates Nathan’s commitment to submitting work of the highest quality possible. Nathan is now gradually increasing his responsibilities in his role at Amazon, which is a reflection of the hard work and motivation Nathan has shown in these early days. Nathan has made a fantastic start to his apprenticeship, and it is because of this that I’d like to nominate him for Apprentice of the Month.
Brooke Holmes @ Simon and Schuster
Brooke came to publishing directly from school, straight into an office job, and a very complicated one. Her role in Production in Children’s books is full of jargon and technical know-how, usually a graduate world. She has plunged into the apprenticeship with huge enthusiasm and determination, mastering new systems and really impressing her manager and the wider team with her can-do attitude. She is always keen to do training, always cheerful, always coming into the office smiling and coping with whatever new situation she encounters, and welcoming feedback. She tackles apprenticeship modules and tasks with curiosity and drive, keeping on top of everything beautifully.
Nicola Holman @ Southampton City Council
Nicola is an exceptional apprentice whose compassion, dedication, and professionalism shine through in everything she does. In the context of community engagement, she is always the first to check in on others, offering genuine support when it’s most needed. Nicola never gives up on people; she shows up, listens, and truly cares.
Despite initial reservations about balancing work and study, Nicola has managed both brilliantly. Her organisation, commitment, and drive have ensured she remains fully on track, even while juggling a demanding workload and other qualifications!
Nicola’s humility sets her apart. She makes a remarkable impact through her work, but rarely speaks of her achievements; it’s often through her line manager, Francesca, that her contributions come to light. Her influence extends beyond her immediate role, as she actively seeks ways to create both social and environmental benefits in the communities she supports.
Nadine Stewart @ University Of Warwick
Nadine has shown impressive initiative and perseverance throughout her apprenticeship.
Having just moved into the role during a period of uncertainty, she initially encountered limited direction, and her early projects were restricted to a narrow set of tools and skills. However, she proactively sought out opportunities to grow—exploring industry-standard tools, shadowing the video team, and creating interactive learning experiences. Her portfolio submissions have been consistently exemplary—meticulously structured, clearly written, and demonstrating a high level of critical thinking, professionalism, and a strong grasp of the required standards.