Ciptex design, build, and implement cloud communication platforms. They are based in Manchester and deliver projects all over the world. 

Their first two apprentices started on Manchester Met’s Digital and Technology Solutions Degree Apprenticeship in September 2017 – one on the Cyber Security pathway and one on Software Engineering. In 2023, Ciptex now have three apprentices learning at Manchester Met (Digital and Technology Solutions, Chartered Manager and Digital User Experience), making up 12% of their workforce. 

“Ciptex’s first encounter with degree apprenticeships was via word of mouth from Manchester Met staff. This took place during the acquisition of More Talk Communications Ltd who had been engaged with Manchester Met through the Centre for Enterprise’s High Growth Network.  

“As an SME we had a real hard time recruiting, our work is within a specialist area and we struggled to recruit at the right level. Being passionate about training for young people, degree apprenticeships seemed the obvious choice. We went to market with it and found two fantastic apprentices including one who was a young migrant and still with us after six years and four promotions! 

“Manchester Met brought us to degree apprenticeships so were the obvious choice of provider, plus they were delivering exactly what we wanted! 
 
“We moved the company from London to Manchester on the back of our relationship with Manchester Met and the guaranteed talent pipeline, who, at the time, were one of only a very few providers. 

“We have learnt that each apprentice should be considered on an individual basis. Our experience is that an apprentice who is working towards a specific role (e.g. marketing) is able to quickly contribute at a different level of responsibility than an apprentice that is working across departments (e.g. business management).  

 ”This has allowed us to set the correct level of expectation with the apprentice and across the leadership team within Ciptex. 

“We have experienced, at their best, an apprentice: 

• Brings into Ciptex best practice techniques learnt on the University programme. 

• Is more willing (than colleagues) to take on new ideas, new approaches and work out of their comfort zone. They then become a leader in that skill. 

• Is driven by results (because the best students are), which in turn inspires colleagues to be the same. 

• Performs tasks that others consider boring or tedious. 

“It is difficult to assess when these attributes impact an organisation – BUT what is immediate is a student’s positive attitude. And a positive attitude can be infectious and motivate others (including their managers) to be better. 

“A great example of an impactful apprentice is Rosie Jones. Without Rosie’s attributes (she has all the above) applied in the Marketing department, we would not have been able to implement a new set of technologies including, website, CRM, and email engine with multiple marketing campaigns to promote the business into new industry verticals. It is this strategy that has been pivotal to the growth of the organisation (70% in one year).  

“Ciptex, unfortunately had an all-male, white British, tech team before we recruited our degree apprentices. The first two apprentices we hired were none of those and we have consistently found that both the gender balance and ethnicities of top candidates for degree apprenticeships has been very diverse. 

“I think the biggest misconception is that an apprentice will be a drain on the business while studying and only deliver value after their degree. Our apprentices have all added value from day one and the fresh ideas they constantly bring to the table keeps us agile and leaps ahead of our competitors.”