Aysha Bentley
Aysha wanted direction in her life, so when she heard that the De Vere Academy of Hospitality was opening in Coventry, she applied for a place and was overjoyed when she was given one. In Aysha’s words, she went, “from facing jail and being homeless, to meeting new people, learning skills, having qualifications and committing myself to something I love.” Aysha spent six months learning practical cookery skills including a 290-hour placement in a working kitchen. After only 12 weeks of the apprenticeship, Aysha represented Coventry at a national De Vere Academy competition and won third place out of over 900 apprentices. Having completed the BTEC apprenticeship earlier this year, she gained a Level 2 NVQ in Professional Cookery and a Level 1 Key Skills Numeracy qualification. Aysha now has two jobs: she works in a city centre pub, as well as in the kitchen of a luxury five-star fitness centre.
“Now, because I believe in myself more, I have qualifications and hands-on work experience, it is much easier for me to get a job... my life is much more stable and I can see a path for my future,” said Aysha.
“We are incredibly proud of Aysha. She is a shining example of how young people can really flourish on our apprenticeship programmes. She has been identified as a future star of the industry. Aysha is an inspiration to those close to her and indeed to future apprentices joining us at the Academy,” said Kevin Haygarth, De Vere Academy of Hospitality.
“We believe that Aysha is destined to achieve great things, and we pride ourselves on the fact that we contributed to getting her started on her career. We are confident that she will continue to grow her skills and confidence and look forward to watching her achieve the further success she deserves.”