Thrilled manufacturing trainee Anni completes apprenticeship!

Anni Sanders has completed her Supply Chain Warehouse Operative apprenticeship and received her certificate from Val, our Assembly Manager.

When asked how Anni felt, she said: " I am so happy that I have completed my apprenticeship, it was an enjoyable but challenging experience at times, especially during the COVID period but luckily I had the support of Val and all my wonderful colleagues, so I would like to thank them for helping me.” 

Anni on why she thought she might like to try a career in manufacturing and engineering with Focus SB, in what’s often a male dominated industry: “I found out about the company through my Mum and when we went to the apprenticeship roadshow in Hastings, Focus SB had a stand there and it looked interesting so as my Mum knew Jo, the HR manager I asked if I could come and do work experience for a week, I did it and loved it so when I left school I applied for the apprenticeship. The COVID situation has been challenging as you have to keep everyone around you safe as well as yourself.”

Jo Cloute, our Human Resources (HR) and Customer Service Manager, describes Anni’s role and highlights challenges for businesses and apprentices caused by the pandemic: “Since starting with us in September 2020 Anni is now fully trained in goods inward/despatch, stores and assembly. Her role involves taking deliveries, checking for damaged/missing items, storing goods, moving stock by various methods, picking/packing orders, getting goods ready for dispatch, maintaining stock records, health and safety, manual handling and using all forms of documentation throughout these areas.

“At Focus we are very proud that due to our employees' hard work over a very difficult period we have been able to employ a new warehouse apprentice Anni, as according to our training provider SIGTA, due to the impact of COVID-19 on their business a lot of companies have had to let their apprentice go or have not employed any new ones.”

Jo congratulates Anni: “We are all very proud of Anni's achievement and we hope that in time Anni will gain more qualifications and become one of our managers of the future.”

Gary, our MD adds: “Well done on your achievement Anni! I have been in manufacturing for almost 40 years and started life as a technical apprentice. I have seen immense change in the manufacturing world since then and no more than in the last five to 10 years and change is happening more rapidly now than ever. The future of any industry is the people and skills that underpin it and that is no more a true fact than in manufacturing, and whilst there is still a requirement for traditional crafts skills, there is a growing demand for people with IT skills, skills in robotics and AI, design and creative, sales and marketing, HR, accountancy and administrative skills.”

Our three production facilities, head office and showroom are located close to each other on the Castleham Industrial Estate on the outskirts of St Leonards on Sea and Hastings in East Sussex. Focus SB is an equal opportunities employer and we currently have opportunities in our sales and warehouse departments.

If you’d like to discover more about working for us please contact Mrs J Cloute our Customer Service & HR Manager, who has also recently taken on the role of Enterprise Adviser in East Sussex, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., telling us a bit about yourself and including a CV if you have one. We look forward to hearing from you!