ONE of the first apprentices taken on by solicitors Fisher Jones Greenwood LLP, has now been appointed as a fully fledged member of staff.

Francesca Dooley started her apprenticeship in business and administration in February of this year while working in the conveyancing team. She managed to complete all the elements of the apprenticeship with flying colours in just six months and is now a junior secretary at the firm’s Charter Court office in Colchester.

Francesca said: “I am delighted to have completed my apprenticeship and am so grateful to FJG for the support, help and feedback that helped me improve my skills. I am thrilled to have now been given the opportunity to continue my career with the firm.”

Mike Theeman, conveyancing partner, said: “I am delighted to see one of our first apprentices complete their qualification whilst working with the firm and I look forward to seeing Francesca having a long and successful career here.”

ENSORS chartered accountants have welcomed five new student accountants to their offices across Suffolk and Cambridgeshire. Four of the students join the firm having just completed A levels and will study for the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) exams while Jonathan Ruffell joins as a graduate and will study to become a chartered accountant with the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW).

Senior partner Robert Hatch said: “We are really pleased to welcome the next generation of accountants to the firm. We have a long history of exam success with our student accountants and look forward to further successes with our new intake.”

Chris and Holly will be based in Ensors’ Cambridge office, Nicole and Charlotte in the Huntingdon office and Jonathan in the Ipswich office.

A SECOND group of staff at Gressingham Foods has celebrated the successful completion of City and Guilds, NVQ and Apprentice Level 2 and Level 3 in Food Manufacture qualifications.

A presentation was held at the company’s Redgrave site near Diss for the 17 candidates. Attending the presentation were group personnel and payroll manager Ann Ashwell, Redgrave shift manager Chris Bird, Redgrave training officer Alexa Brozska and assessor/trainer at Poultec Training Ltd Tim Hammond.

Ms Ashwell congratulated the successful candidates and thanked them for their hard work and commitment. She added that she was proud that the company was at the forefront of staff development within their sector and praised the commitment and achievements of the employees with English as a second language. Chris Bird further praised employees for their commitment and enthusiasm for learning.

Tim Hammond, who presented the certificates, offered his congratulations on behalf of Poultec. He thanked Gressingham Foods for its continued staff development programme and complimented the group on the quality of evidence produced and the effort and development put in by the candidates for both Level 2 and Level 3 Awards.

Gressingham Foods, Redgrave, has an on-going training partnership with Poultec Training and has a further 20 employees working on Level 2 apprenticeships and further employees planned to progress to Level 3 programmes.

COMPANIES and individuals needing help in public speaking or in writing correct English can now call on the services of former MP and performing arts teacher, David Porter.

Mr Porter, who has retired from teaching and politics, is putting his experience and contacts at the disposal of the business community in East Anglia. He has set up The Box, an informal grouping of older people with wide experience of arts, education, business and problem-solving to work directly with people needing guidance and mentoring.

“Some people are sick with dread at the notion of speaking aloud in front of others at a wedding, presentation or social event, so we are offering tuition in public speaking,” he said.

They will also correct English and teach staff to produce their own business English in tailor-made sessions.

“Bosses and customers often despair at the standards of written communications they see, so we can help,” he said.

With the focus on personal communications, Mr Porter who is established as an online writer for an international magazine, will also be writing blogs for businesses.

FRED. Olsen Cruise Lines has appointed Nathan Philpot to the role of sales and marketing director. Nathan will succeed Fred. Olsen’s long-standing and popular sales and marketing director, Nigel Lingard, who retires at the end of November 2011.

Nathan brings a wealth of relevant travel experience to the role. His previous positions include managing director of Elegant Resorts, head of marketing for long haul specialists, Kuoni, and, most recently, group sales and marketing director of Page & Moy. Nathan joined Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines with effect from October 3, allowing a two-month handover period.

Nathan said: “I am delighted to be joining the fastest growing sector of the travel industry, working with a family-managed company that has such a strong nautical heritage and an incredibly trade-friendly reputation. I hope to have as much success with this position as I have had in my previous roles and that, working closely with our agent partners, we will continue to attract thousands of new customers to Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines.”