Celebrating Success: Ethan Walls, ICT Support Technician

We were delighted when our Level 3 ICT Support Technician apprentice Ethan Walls ended his study on a high note by achieving the highest grade possible, graduating with a distinction.   

Part of our Service Delivery team, Ethan has spent his apprenticeship on site at one of our major clients, County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service, working as part of a team of four engineers supporting the client’s in-house team. 

With his apprenticeship qualification firmly under his belt, the individual training and development plan that all our team has in place will now see him study towards gaining a suite of networking qualifications including vendor-neutral Network+, Cisco Certified Network Associate and Cisco Certified Network Professional.  

“I’ve had great support from my colleagues and the company,” explained Ethan. 

The people I’m working with every day constantly check in with me, giving me support and direction, and making sure I have everything I need to play a full part in the team supporting our client. I also benefit from the large team back at base who are just a message or a call away if I need help.  

My colleagues have helped me build on my formal training and I feel I’ve learned the majority of what I know from them. Even though I’m at the start of my career in IT they never talk down to me, they take the time to guide and support me to make sure I do well.” 

Service Delivery Team Lead Ben Brown has been one of Ethan’s mentors throughout his time with us: “My role as a mentor involves giving our apprentices the knowledge and confidence to have a go at things themselves, with the reassurance that I’m here if they get stuck. They know I’d rather they did that than spend hours struggling. They’re commercially aware, they appreciate there is a customer at the other end of an issue.   

The combination of formal training, on the job experience and mentoring has proved very successful. It allows us to encourage our apprentices to safely spread their wings and see what they can do, with the backup of a more experienced team if they need it.  

In Ethan’s case he’s developed into a good communicator, who’s confident in a client environment. He’s one of our rising stars, with a real drive to push himself and take all the opportunities we can offer him. He’s already a real asset to the business, with a bright future ahead of him.” 

Ethan is confident that the training and development as well as cultural support he’s had from ITPS will underpin his career aims: “I’m grateful to the company for giving me such a fantastic opportunity to start my career and I’m very proud of my Distinction, which was met with a lot of congratulations from around the business,” he said.  

I feel like I’m valued here, and the company is as committed to my career as I am. My plan is to continually build on my interest in tech, particularly my networking and security skills, so that I’m not just progressing, but I’m also enjoying my job too.  

Eventually I’d like to be working at a senior level, and it’s reassuring to feel that the company will support me all the way.”