DCG Success Stories

Kitty Place, training experience specialist with heating equipment supplier Vaillant in Belper, is so happy to be achieving her life goals.

Kitty, who recently finished an apprenticeship with Derby College Group, loves her job working with Vaillant’s training team and looking after the Aspire programme.

Aspire supports gas engineers to upskill and move over to heat pump technologies as the heating industry decarbonises.

She completed her level 3 Business and Administration course with distinction and now has plans to move on to higher education.

Kitty went to school in Latvia but always dreamed of living in England and working in an office-based business role or being a hairdresser.

She said: “I started to learn English when I was about seven as it’s mandatory in Latvia and I just fell in love with the language.

“I told myself that when I grew up, I’d move to England, work in an office or be a hairdresser there, marry an Englishman and have a daughter named Kate. My partner isn’t English, but I’ve achieved my other goals.”

Kitty, now 35, followed her heart and at age 18, moved to London. Once there, she found  work on factory production lines where she gradually progressed to machine operator and administrator roles, while also studying for manufacturing certificates.

When she became a mum, she started to work in retail as the hours were more sociable and she could spend more time with her family.

Nine years later she relocated to Yorkshire, where she had her second daughter and worked part-time in a supermarket while also studying hairdressing.

Unfortunately, after qualifying with a level 3 in Hairdressing, the covid pandemic happened and she couldn’t pursue employment  in the industry.

Then four years ago, Kitty moved to Derbyshire. Once there she briefly worked in hospitality and then took a job at Vaillant, primarily because it was close to her home.

She said: “I’d gone into sixth form in Latvia and gained further qualifications in England but still felt I was underachieving. I didn’t feel educated enough and there was so much more I needed to learn.

“At times I felt lost. I wanted to grow and  build a better life for me and my girls. I saw moving to Belper as my fresh start, so once there, I enrolled at Derby College to do level 2 English and GCSE maths at Joseph Wright Centre.

“I went into my job in customer care at Vaillant not knowing anything about the heating industry or what to expect, but I proved myself and was soon able to move up the career ladder.

“Once again, my capabilities were noticed and I was invited to participate in delivering important projects.

“During these projects I gained more exposure and was offered the chance to join another department on secondment as a training experience specialist looking after the Aspire programme.

“Aspire has become my ‘baby’ and I’m so proud of myself for earning the opportunity to ‘drive’ it.

“Taking my level 3 apprenticeship has helped me such a lot. My tutor Nicola was fantastic and Derby College and Vaillant have provided me with excellent support.

“They have a great partnership. As English isn’t my first language I had so much to learn about working in an office environment, such as how to use English professionally when engaging with stakeholders and peers.

“I’ve got a meeting at work soon about taking a university course so I can take my career further.

“I could not be more grateful to Vaillant. While I was doing my apprenticeship, Vaillant gave me a day away from daily duties once a week so I could study. With the support of college and my employer I’ve come so far.

“I’m looking forward to going onto higher education through my employer. I’m not sure what degree course I’ll be doing yet but it will be something business related.

“I really am living the dream; I’m on top of the world!”