Case study: from North East apprentice to global designer

Twenty-three year old Ross Hodgson is the envy of any young designer. He creates and develops brands, packaging and marketing materials products that are sold to millions of consumers across the world.

However, just six years ago, Ross was like many young people in terms of not having a real life plan, getting into mischief now and again but also looking and hoping for a break. Luckily for him, it came in the form of an apprenticeship opportunity with a Durham-based Crafter’s Companion.

The craft supplies business is run by award-winning entrepreneur Sara Davies who founded the business while at university in 2005. Today, its products are sold online, through retail outlets and TV shopping channels around the world.

Commenting on how he got his apprenticeship, Ross said: “I’d known the owners Sara and Simon on a personal level since the age of 13 through a local cricket club. At the time, Sara had started running her own craft business and like the cheeky lad I was, I asked whether there was any work going.

“Lucky enough for me, a couple of weeks later Sara offered me some night-shift work to help meet a big order. I have to admit, I did not enjoy it one bit but I gave it everything I had, which must have impressed the guys as following a few other small roles at the company, I was offered a role as a Business Admin Apprentice.”

After finishing school with ten GCSEs, sports-mad Ross decided to go onto further education by doing an Advanced BTEC Diploma in Sport at a local college but it was not for him due to the lure of working with the fast-growing craft business and learning a trade.

He said: “In working for Crafter’s Companion over the past six years, I have learnt not just skill-based knowledge but so many valuable life lessons, which have matured me into a hard working determined young adult.

“Being around such focused and knowledgeable people has rubbed off on me, and I now look over everything I do in life no matter how big or small. I can’t even begin to imagine were I would be in life now if it wasn’t for the invaluable knowledge I’ve learnt over the years. For that, I am so thankful for my apprenticeship.

“With the guidance of my peers around me, I’ve now got a life plan ahead of me, which six years ago wouldn’t have been possible.”

The creative youngster now plays a key role in the design and promotion of new products in the UK, Europe and in the US.

Talking about his current role at Crafter’s Companion, Ross said: “I must be in the minority when I say I enjoy getting out of bed on a morning. Crafter’s Companion to me is like all one huge family. We all get along striving to do the best not only for one another, the owners and our customers.

“Sara and Simon are possibly two of the most hard working people on planet earth so are an inspiration to me and many others. It also helps that I love what I do. Design is my passion and I get to do it every day.”

In the time Ross has been with the business, it has gone from a handful of staff to now employing over 60 people across its County Durham headquarters and its US operation in California.

Founder of Crafter’s Companion Sara Davies recently scooped a Shell Women of the Future Award for Entrepreneur of the Year and an international Stevie® Award for Women in Business in the same week. She has become a global star in the craft sector as she regularly features on TV channels Ideal World and Create & Craft.

Speaking about Ross, she said: “Everyone in our company absolutely loves Ross. His energy and enthusiasm coupled with a desire to continually improve is the reason he has gone from a apprentice to our main design lead at Crafter’s Companion.”

At the back-end of last year, the award-winning company took on three new apprentices who will hopefully follow in the footsteps of Ross.

Sara added: “Ross is the blueprint for our apprentices and if any of them can do half the job he’s done with the same level of passion, then we’ll have another star on our hands.”

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