Meet our apprentice Anna Schauker

Anna Schauker joined Glendale as an apprentice in May 2015.  The 23-year-old is employed on the company’s seven-year partnership with North Somerset Council.

Her apprenticeship forms part of Glendale’s structured staff development scheme, the South West Academy.  In North Somerset, the Academy is run in partnership with The Groundwork Trust and Team North Somerset.  It provides candidates with a bespoke 18-24 month programme of training and is aimed at both new apprentices and existing staff members.

Anna heard about the apprenticeship through her local college when Glendale’s supervisors visited the campus and gave a careers presentation to the students.

The presentation was delivered in conjunction with Weston college and the council’s Youth Unemployment Department.  The aim was to raise awareness of the apprentice opportunities available with Glendale and the careers open to young people in grounds maintenance in the local area.

Anna immediately approached Glendale to sign up for an apprenticeship with the organisation.  She is now part of a multi-skilled team carrying out grounds maintenance and street scene services in the local area.  Her main areas of responsibility are street cleansing, litter picking, removal of fly tipped waste and grounds work.  She is also working towards gaining a Level 2 Diploma in Horticulture and a Level 2 Diploma in Streetscene Public Service, giving her the skills and qualifications necessary to cover all elements of the multi-service contract held by Glendale in North Somerset.

Anna comments: “I really enjoy the apprenticeship with Glendale, particularly the grounds maintenance side as I’m interested in nature and the environment.  I think one of the advantages of the scheme is that you gain a qualification alongside working full-time.  I learn something different every day and I’m building a new skill set working with the equipment on the contract.

“My biggest achievement on the apprenticeship so far was helping out at the CBeebies Big Day Out event in Weston-super-Mare.  I ran a “Grow your own Herbs” stall over the weekend and helped visitors plant over 1,000 herbs to take home with them”.

Anna has recently achieved her Level 2 qualifications and would like to continue to work for Glendale in the future.