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Josh Medley, Promotions and Non-Food Retail Buyer, Foodbuy

Josh Medley, Promotion & Non-Food Retail Buyer at Foodbuy, completed the Level 4 Commercial Procurement and Supply Apprenticeship with SRSCC in May 2024. Josh achieved an outstanding Distinction grade across his Apprenticeship, as well as passing all of his CIPS examinations.

Discover how Josh found his Apprenticeship journey in the article below.

Before starting your apprenticeship, did you know what to expect or have any concerns about studying an apprenticeship?

 
“I was concerned about the balancing my day-to-day work alongside the apprenticeship”

 

 

How does the support you receive at SRSCC help you in working towards your Apprenticeship?

 
“The support of the Progress Mentors and CIPS Tutors was very helpful, they were always there to answer questions or concerns I had and supported me, especially through my EPA.”

 

 

Have you experienced any struggles or tough moments along the way? If so, how have you overcome them?

 
“I failed one of the exams twice, which knocked my confidence but the support network at SRSCC and CIPS was brilliant in helping me prepare and pass the re-sits.”

 

 

How has the Apprenticeship help you grow as a person and develop your professional skills?

 
“The apprenticeship has helped me understand the world of procurement better and grow within my own company, getting a new role as a Consumables Buyer.”

 

 

Have you had the opportunity to apply what you’ve learnt in real-world scenarios?

 
“Within my current role in promotions, I have adopted a few procurement models, such as the stakeholder mapping tool to help priorities and analyse stakeholders’ importance and interest in a project.”

 

 

What did you enjoy most about your apprenticeship experience?

 
“I enjoyed completing my exams and preparing my EPA presentation as this enabled me to showcase all that I had learnt.”

 

 

What advice would you give to someone contemplating whether to enroll onto an Apprenticeship?

 
“Stay on top of your “off the job” hours and don’t leave assignments or projects to the last minute, little and often.”

 

 

Have you considered continuing with the next level of study? Would you remain on Apprenticeship route or choose the commercial pathway?

 
“Yes, I would like to complete CIPS Level 5 & 6 to become MCIPS qualified. When I decide to carry on with my studies, I would like to complete this via the commercial pathway.”

 

 
Josh’s Line Manager added, “Josh worked extremely hard to earn this qualification and complete the Apprenticeship, investing many hours of his time. I’m delighted that he’s passed his CIPS, and his hard work has paid off as he has already secured a promotion at work.”

 

 

 
 

 

SRSCC would like to wish Josh a huge congratulations for this huge achievement! We look forward to supporting Josh through his journey towards MCIPS status.

 
 
SRSCC and the Apprenticeships they provide have, without a doubt, helped develop our Procurement Team who in turn have transformed the Commercial Department. SRSCC provided expert tuition and, important to ensuring personal growth, mentoring support.

The Team have increased their abilities and confidence and are now all successfully operating as professional Business Partners and members of Senior Leadership Teams in Commercial and DDaT Departments.
Barry LeightonHead of Commercial Services
Barry Leighton
SRSCC and the Apprenticeships they provide have, without a doubt, helped develop our Procurement Team who in turn have transformed the Commercial Department. SRSCC provided expert tuition and, important to ensuring personal growth, mentoring support.

The Team have increased their abilities and confidence and are now all successfully operating as professional Business Partners and members of Senior Leadership Teams in Commercial and DDaT Departments.
Barry LeightonHead of Commercial Services
Barry Leighton
Prior to the Apprenticeship, the Team undertook various training courses while operating at different levels. Since the Apprenticeship program commenced the Team has become more aligned saving the Constabulary £3.6m while reducing risks and awarding many compliant contracts.

The Team also managed supplies during the Pandemic ensuring 100% delivery of PPE and requirements for agile working while installing the Oracle system, with the Apprenticeship being a key factor in enabling the Team to deliver this
Barry LeightonHead of Commercial Services
Barry Leighton

Discover How SRSCC Can Help Your Organisation

With such high industry standards and plenty of locations throughout the country, SRSCC is perfectly positioned to provide exceptional training to new or existing staff including one day courses, CIPS accredited qualifications and Procurement Apprenticeships.

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Bethanie Stimpson SRSCC

Bethanie Stimpson

Progress Mentor

Bethanie began her career in the fitness industry, working as a personal trainer and gym instructor before becoming involved in coaching children through a triathlon club. This experience sparked her passion for working with young people and ultimately led her into a career in education. She initially worked in a nursery and later as a one-to-one teaching assistant in a primary school, before completing her teaching qualification and postgraduate studies. Since then, Bethanie has taught in both the private and state education sectors.

Her academic background includes a qualification in Sports Development, Fitness and Coaching at college, alongside a Childhood & Youth undergraduate degree (2:1). These studies have enabled her to combine her interests in sport, education, and child development, shaping her holistic approach to teaching and mentoring.

Bethanie is passionate about supporting learners to achieve their goals — educationally, personally, and in terms of wellbeing. She places strong emphasis on communication and relationship building, and takes great pride in helping individuals build confidence and overcome challenges. One of her proudest achievements has been supporting learners who initially doubted themselves to grow in confidence and achieve success.

Outside of work, Bethanie has always maintained a strong interest in sport. She previously competed in triathlons and now focuses on running and swimming. In 2023, she completed the London Marathon — an achievement she is particularly proud of. She also enjoys spending time outdoors with her family and their two dogs, which is where she is happiest when not working.

Ola Kambul

Skills Coach

Ola began her career in supply chain within fast-paced warehouse and logistics environments, where she developed a strong understanding of operations and people management. Her journey into the Supply Chain sector wasn’t planned, but through hands-on experience she discovered a passion for improving processes and supporting others – which naturally led her into training and development.

She has progressed through a range of roles across operations, recruitment, and training, including Programme Coach and L&D Lead. She designed and delivered apprenticeship programmes, supporting over 40 learners to successful completion and contributing to strong quality outcomes and inspection success.  Her transition into mentoring was driven by a desire to make a direct impact on people’s confidence, growth, and career progression.

Ola’s mentoring style is supportive, structured, and empowering. She combines real operational experience with coaching expertise, helping learners apply knowledge in practical workplace settings. One of her proudest career achievements has been supporting learners who started with low confidence to achieve distinctions and progress into new roles within their organisations. She has also led a UK-wide Mental Health First Aider network, embedding wellbeing into workplace culture and supporting colleagues through challenging situations.

From day one, she shares a consistent message with every learner: “You’re more capable than you think – but you have to be willing to step outside your comfort zone to see it.”

Outside of work, Ola enjoys walking with her Border Collie, Luna, and cross stitching. She recommends Legacy by James Kerr to anyone in supply chain, for its powerful insights into leadership and culture. If she wasn’t working in mentoring and development, she would likely be pursuing a career as a Visual Merchandiser.

Jack Callaghan

Jack Moore

Operations Team Leader

In December 2023, Jack joined SRSCC as an Operations Coordinator and quickly established himself as a key member of the team.

Promoted to Team Leader in October 2024, Jack utilises his expertise in auditing processes and innovative problem-solving to identify and enhance growth opportunities.

Jack possesses a strong ability to analyse and refine systems and procedures, consistently uncovering chances for streamlining and automation that drive operational efficiency. He excels at communicating complex ideas with clarity and precision.

Detail-oriented yet big-picture focused, Jack applies his exceptional organisational skills to ensure the team adopts the most effective strategies for achieving both individual and collective goals.

His methodical approach and strategic mindset make Jack an invaluable asset to SRSCC, significantly contributing to the team’s success and the realisation of organisational objectives.