Teesside-based Climb and Conquer, an SEO & PPC agency, has grown exponentially in recent years, doubling its turnover in the last 12 months. Amidst this growth, founder Shane Parkins saw an opportunity to grow the next generation of talent through apprenticeships.
He said: “Our new base is close to Stockton Riverside College and after settling in an office in a local office space after years of remote working I immediately sought out local initiatives to ensure I was part of training the next wave of talent in the area.
“The idea of apprenticeships enticed me – we could mould people to our business model, allowing them and the business to thrive.”
In 2025, Kelsey and Daisy joined Climb and Conquer as operations administration apprentice and multi-channel marketing apprentice respectively. We asked them why they chose apprenticeships…
“I didn’t want to follow the crowd,” explains Daisy. “I always knew I wanted a career in marketing but entry level roles are hard to come by. After feeling pushed towards university at college it only spurred me on to find a role where I could get experience and get paid for it.”
In contrast, Kelsey always knew she wanted to do an apprenticeship, hearing from friends that it was one of the best ways to learn and get real world experience at the same time. She said: “I saw the opportunity with Climb and Conquer and it was clear they were a growing company, and I saw the opportunity to develop within it. Everyone here is so welcoming, and that motivates me to succeed.”
Daisy also praises the company for their collaborative approach, she said: “The team is so creative, and I am involved in everything from planning the yearly marketing calendar to using tools like Canva to create engaging, informative posts for social media.”
Now boasting clients from California to Teesside, Climb and Conquer started off as a freelance project and has continued to expand ever since, something Shane is very proud of. He said: “We’re built on results, and our incredible apprentices help us to achieve them. We’ve been fully supported by the college; I was particularly impressed that Anna and Jo helped with candidate selection and interviews - we were inundated with applications.
“I’ll be honest, originally, I thought that there maybe was a risk to hiring apprentices. There is a stereotype that young people don’t want to work, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. I’m not afraid to admit I was wrong – Kelsey and Daisy are so eager to learn, their work ethic is unmatched and they’re an excellent fit for the team.”
We asked Shane what he’d say to a business considering hiring an apprentice but with the same reluctancy. He explained: “I’d encourage them to go for it; you won’t regret it. It isn’t as daunting as you think, and if you choose the Etc. you’ll be well-guided. The calibre of the people we were shortlisting was very high – apprentices will always be part of our growth now.”
Climb and Conquer has been nominated for two awards in 2026 – VelociTees Fastest-Growing Business and Tees Business Awards Small Business of the Year, accolades testament to their national and international reach.
If you want to find out more about the huge variety of benefits that an apprentice can bring to your business, chat to the team: business@the-etc.ac.uk
