Kelly Gittos: “Iceland Apprenticeship Scheme has Inspired Me”

Kelly Gittos is a 43 year old mum of five, who has started her career later in life through Iceland’s Apprenticeship Scheme. Based in Lincolnshire, Kelly is currently training as an Apprentice Deputy Manager.

After her eldest child flew the nest, Kelly wanted to “feel like herself again” and go into employment, and decided on retail to start her career. In 2019, Kelly began doing night shifts at Iceland, working the delivery slot from 8pm to 12pm.

After working front line for Iceland for almost two years, in February 2022, Kelly’s manager reflected on her potential and suggested she could move further in her career. Kelly then decided to embark on a team leader role and has progressed to be a Level 3, store-based Deputy Manager. When Kelly’s apprenticeship comes to an end, she’ll become Deputy Manager of the Boston store.

As part of her apprenticeship, Kelly is undertaking a mix of on the job training and online courses, which is leading her towards a City & Guilds qualification.

When discussing her favourite thing about Iceland, Kelly mentioned she loves that it’s a “family-oriented business”, noting that the team she works in is like a family, and appreciates the calm atmosphere of the Iceland store.

Kelly also loves working with both her colleagues and interacting with the same customers at Iceland, as it makes her “feel like I belong somewhere”. Because the Boston store is small, Kelly appreciates the familiar faces she works with and welcomes the community of customers who come in every day.

Before working for Iceland, Kelly admitted “I never knew where I felt in life” – but the apprenticeship scheme has now given her confidence and inspired her to apply for a managerial role one day. Kelly even joked to her manager that one day, she’ll have his job!

When asked about what advice she’d give for someone wanting to do an apprenticeship, Kelly mentioned that you should take any opportunity that comes your way. Kelly’s own daughter is a legal apprentice, and together they motivate each other to keep developing their skills as they grow in confidence.

Kelly is an inspiration to those who want to start a career later in life, and is proud of the fact she once questioned her abilities, yet now has the confidence to act as Deputy Store Manager.

In 2022, Iceland ranked at Number 29 in the National Apprenticeship Scheme Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers. This meant Iceland were the Number 1 retailer in the list – beating Amazon, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, John Lewis, and Co-Op. This was Iceland’s first time entering the league table. Iceland’s apprenticeship scheme is nationwide and open to all ages, available to apply all year round. For more information visit: https://icelandcareers.co.uk/apprentices/