Rivervale’s winning apprenticeship experience

As National Apprenticeship Week kicks off, Ben Freakley, Group Marketing Manager at Rivervale (left) explains how Marketing Apprentice Jess Stanbrook (right) perfectly illustrates how rewarding apprenticeships can be for both sides.

NATIONAL Apprenticeship Week (9 – 15 February 2026) is a chance to highlight that the people and businesses proving apprenticeships are not just a ‘first step’, they are a proper route into real careers. This year’s theme is ‘Skills for Life’.

Jess joined Brighton-based Rivervale as a Marketing Apprentice in September 2025.

Apprenticeships are brilliant, but they’re not ‘set and forget’

Ben says: “I have worked with apprentices before and I have loved it. There’s something genuinely rewarding about helping someone grow in confidence, learn new skills, and start to believe in what they can do.

“But there’s also a reality people do not always talk about. Apprentices often need a lot of attention at the start for guidance, coaching and nurturing and our marketing team is small.

“It’s hands-on. It moves fast. Priorities change quickly, and you have to keep up. I was worried I wouldn’t be able to give an apprentice the level of support they deserve, which matters if you want to give them the best possible head start.

“Apprenticeships can be brilliant, but in a small, fast-moving team they do need real time and support. I was genuinely sceptical about taking one on, because I didn’t want to short-change someone’s development. Jess has completely changed that. She’s proactive, she learns quickly, and she thinks for herself. She’s not doing ‘donkey work’. She’s running campaigns, speaking to partners, getting involved with filming, and she cares about results. It’s been a breath of fresh air.”

“I’ve felt trusted from the start, which has made a huge difference. I’ve been able to work on real campaigns, learn by doing, and see how marketing works day to day in a busy business. I’m enjoying getting stuck in, and I’m excited to keep learning and improving.”

Jess Stanbrook, Marketing Apprentice, Rivervale Tweet

Jess has not just been ‘helping out’ Ben adds, she’s been contributing in a way that has made the whole team stronger. In the last few months, she has: managed her own campaigns end-to-end; put together marketing plans and turned them into action; got hands-on with filming car reviews and spoken directly with suppliers and partners about projects.

Her curiosity is the difference between doing tasks and learning marketing, says Ben. “She’s looked at results and asked the right question: ‘What can we do better next time?’ She’s keen to learn, but she also uses her own initiative. She thinks things through. She tries to solve problems, rather than waiting to be told what to do next. That mindset is gold in a small team.”

A training partner who flexes around the business

A big part of making apprenticeships work is having the right training partner. Rivervale works with Next Step Apprenticeships in Brighton.

“They’ve been flexible in tailoring the programme around what the business actually needs, while still supporting Jess properly through her apprenticeship. That flexibility matters, especially for smaller employers. It helps keep learning relevant and it keeps momentum high.”

What Ben would say to other small businesses thinking about an apprentice

“If you’re a small team and you’re unsure, I get it. My advice is simple:”

Be honest about the time you can commit
Find a training partner who will flex with you
Give the apprentice real responsibility when they’re ready, not just admin

“When it clicks, it’s a win for everyone. For us, Jess has shown what’s possible when you back young talent and give them the space to grow. And during National Apprenticeship Week, that feels like exactly the kind of story worth telling.”