Apprenticeship Week 2025 – a personal view from Josh Marodeen

When you think of apprenticeships, the sort of thing that usually springs to mind is trade skills like plumbing, electrical technician, or engineering. But today, as part of our celebration of National Apprenticeships Week, we talk to Josh Marodeen, who is pursuing a very different kind of apprenticeship.

Josh is reaching completion of his Sales Executive Level 4 Business Standard Apprenticeship, embracing tutor-based learning at Fareham College and practical time with the Q3 Sales team. To realise his ambition, Josh has also been balancing a dual role arrangement, sharing his time between auditing sites on our Everyman Cinemas contract, with three days a week wearing his “sales” hat.

He’s now 85% through the apprenticeship tunnel and facing up to the dreaded EPA (End Point Assessment). He must first complete some testimonials, sit through a professional discussion with his tutor, and dot some i’s and cross some t’s to complete the process, hopefully by April or May.

Josh has a naturally outgoing personality, which helped him flourish in a two-year stint in hospitality and influenced by his father’s interest and involvement in business, he saw an opportunity to bring the two together.

Josh explains, “I like talking, face-to-face interaction and relationship building, so sales was always going to be the obvious career route to follow. But, when I first started, I knew nothing at all about Facilities Management. The sheer scale and diversity of the sector is mind blowing when you first encounter it, and I still find it funny explaining FM to friends who have no concept of what I do and the type of business I am in.

“Blending the college-based learning with the practical, hands-on sales activity has been a great way to learn about the FM industry, build my expertise and develop my confidence. These qualities will all be so important for me to be effective in a role in business development. This apprenticeship has also helped broaden my knowledge of the corporate world and will help pave the way for a future role in business development, where I can contribute to Q3’s future growth and success.”