COLOUR Connection apprentice Sam Jones is celebrating this week having received two distinctions for his City & Guilds Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Digital Pre-Press For Print.

Sam, from Uplands Stroud, only started the course in July last year but was quick to pick up the skills and knowledge required to complete the course early (it normally takes between 18 months and two years to complete).

“Sam has been enthusiastic from the start,” says his mentor Brendan Vaughan-Spruce, Graphic Designer at Colour Connection.

“He settled in to the company very quickly and his eagerness to learn and to develop his skills meant that he made good progress rapidly. I have been impressed by his clear aptitude for picking up new and complicated software and he has a keen eye for design and accuracy. He has shown a willingness to listen and learn from his colleagues in the design department and to take on board their advice. Sam is a great asset to the team and his contribution invaluable.”

Sam beat off competition from 80 other applicants for the apprenticeship with Colour Connection, which is one of only a few graphic designer courses that cover the specialist skills required for traditional print.

Certified by Yeovil College, Sam has received full-time, on-the-job training, within the design team and has had regular site visits from the college to monitor his progress.

On his achievement Sam said: “I am really happy to have completed my apprenticeship so early. I can now move into a full design career which has been my ambition from the start. I am very grateful for the support and training I received from Brendan, the design team and Yeovil College. It’s been a fantastic experience from start to finish!”

Managing Director Richard Currie concluded: “Sam has become a vital member of the business and we are looking at ways, moving forward, to help him continue his training and develop his skills further. I wouldn’t hesitate to look at the apprenticeship route again and will be looking to take on a new trainee in the near future.”