About Starting Off
Starting Off is a well-established business with an excellent reputation specialising in recruitment and training for apprenticeships and permanent positions across the UK. Alongside apprenticeship training we also offer private training packages for AAT and Team Leader.
Â
Established in Northamptonshire in 1989 we have grown significantly over the last 30 plus years and now work with companies across the UK. Our core values are at the heart of what we do – Support, Honesty, Ambition, Passion, Excellence.
Meet the team
Whether you’re an employer looking to hire the best skills, or you’re a school-leaver looking for the best start to your career, our friendly and dedicated team will be happy to help.
Senior Leadership Team
Jess Cameron
Managing Director
Jess joined the training team at Starting Off 7 years ago, within that time she was an account manager supporting our learners and employers and then went on to managing the training team. Jess is now one of our Managing Directors. Â Jess, alongside her Director duties is still heavily involved in the quality of the training we offer and ensuring our learners receive the best opportunities. She has a real passion for all things training. Jess loves spending time with her family and friends and of course with the more recent addition to the family, her cockapoo named Bobby. Â
Katie Goodall
Managing Director
Katie is one of the Managing Directors/ Owners of the business and has worked at Starting Off for 13 years. Katie joined Starting Off after she graduated from the University of Birmingham with a degree in History. Starting her career at Starting Off as a Recruitment Consultant, she progressed to Recruitment Manager, then Operations Manager before acquiring Starting Off with Jess Cameron in November 2020. Her favourite part of the job is talking to clients and ex apprentices who got their first job through Starting Off and seeing where they are now. In her spare time Katie loves to keep fit – running and spinning mainly. One of the most humbling experiences Katie has ever had was volunteering in Ghana for 6 months where she lived with a local family and worked in a school and orphanage.
Managers
Hannah Corby
Quality Assurance Manager
Hannah is a senior assessor and the end point assessor quality lead and has been an assessor for 6 years. She delivers Business Administrator, Customer Service and Team Leader and is passionate about supporting learners to develop and to achieve the best possible end point assessment result. Hannah is a Mental Health First Aider and is currently undertaking a Business Management Degree. Hannah loves spending time with her family and friends, watching football and listening to music.
Jordan Banks
Development Manager
Jordan is the Development Manager, looking after administration, ESFA contracts and system maintenance and development. He has been working at Starting Off for over 7 years and is proud to be part of an organisation that is helping so many young adults start their careers effectively. His interests include reading, music, arts and computing.
Helen Deacon
AAT Programme Manager
Helen manages our AAT training programme. She has been with Starting Off for 25 years (obviously she was very young when she started!) and has extensive experience of managing, assessing and verifying Apprenticeship programmes. Helen is passionate about the AAT qualification and has run the programme since we first became an AAT centre in 2001. Helen loves celebrating the success of our AAT students! She really enjoys helping our accounting learners progress through the various AAT levels and seeing their careers progress and flourish as a result. Helen is an active member of her village community, often helping out with local fundraising events and she is also treasurer of the village school PTA. In her spare time Helen enjoys running and has completed 21 half marathons and counting! She also channels her ‘inner Beyonce’ by singing with her local Rock Choir.
Sarah Robinson
Apprenticeship Programme ManagerÂ
Sarah is our Apprenticeship Programme Manager who joined Starting Off in 2021. She qualified as an assessor 10 years ago and very much enjoys supporting learners to achieve their very best. She is extremely passionate about apprenticeships having done one herself when she left school! Sarah has a caseload of AAT learners but also spends her time supporting our assessors working closely with Hannah. She loves a 5am gym session and spending time with family!Â
Training Team
Mikaela Groves
Lead Assessor and Exam Invigilation Lead
Mikaela is the Lead Assessor of our Training Team. Her responsibilities include ensuring that our learner resources are kept up to date, standardising our BA3, CS2, CS3 and ICT Programmes, and maintaining and updating our VLE courses. Mikeala also supports our exam invigilation process by checking for exam updates and organising the sessions. Mikaela is passionate about supporting others and is always ready to lend a helping hand to our assessors at Starting Off. Outside of work, Mikaela enjoys keeping active at the gym, walking her dog Walt, reading, spending time with friends and going to the theatre.
Ellis Harris
AAT Tutor and Prevent LeadÂ
Ellis set up a family-run licensed accountancy and marketing agency, tutors AAT and volunteers as co-chair at AAT Northampton. With a decade working in the finance sector, he is passionate about technology and the future of the industry, as well as mentoring the next generation of accounting professionals. Ellis believes that the most impactful businesses balance profit with purpose – championing people, protecting the planet, and advancing equality and opportunity. He was honoured to be selected as AAT Professional Member of the Year (MAAT) 2024 at the Impact Awards, and judged the awards in 2025. Outside of work he loves travelling with his partner and dog.
Molly NobleÂ
Account Manager / TrainerÂ
Molly is a member of our training team and contributes to our marketing and training departments. Molly creates social media content to publicise new apprenticeship and permanent job opportunities, as well as upcoming events. Molly completed her Business Admin level 3 Apprenticeship and Functional Skills training with us at Starting Off, and she is now enthusiastic about helping others with their apprenticeships and getting to know her learners. Molly enjoys travelling with her friends and family and all things beauty!Â
Nicola GrovesÂ
Trainee Assessor
Nicola, known by all as Nick, will be delivering Customer Service and Business Administration apprenticeships, drawing on her many years of experience working in both fields. Her background gives her a strong understanding of what excellent service and effective administration look like in practice. She is also passionate about sharing that knowledge to help others succeed. Outside of work, she very much enjoys walking her two cheeky cockerpoos, Biscuit and Maple, At home she is outnumbered by her three cats, Pumpkin Pie, Pecan Pie, and Apple Pie, who definitely run the place. She also a big Disney fan and have a soft spot for all things Orlando, whether it’s planning the next trip or just enjoying a bit of Disney magic at home.
Becky ScottÂ
Trainee Assessor
I worked for the NHS for 18 years in the operating theatres before taking on my new role with Starting Off. It was a big career change, but I am really enjoying being an assessor.
Â
I have taken on most of my AAT and BA learners halfway through their apprenticeships but have really enjoyed getting to know them and their managers. I have got 7 new AAT learners that are in the same cohort and 3 new BA learners, so I’m looking forward to supporting them throughout the full journey of their apprenticeship.
Â
Out of work I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, eating out, live music, going to the theatre and travelling.Â
Recruitment Team
Charlotte Berridge
Recruitment Team Leader
Charlotte is the recruitment team leader and also leads our S.O. Permanent Recruitment division. Her favourite part of the job is speaking to new clients about the benefits of hiring a new apprentice, then watching the apprentice grow and develop within the role. She has a dog called Winnie, who she adores, and loves all things Disney.
Sophie Charalambous
Recruitment Consultant
Sophie became a Recruitment Consultant at Starting Off after completing her A-levels, and her favourite part of the role is being able to help aspiring apprentices to kick-start their careers. Sophie is a qualified St Johns Ambulance First Aider and in her spare time, she enjoys travelling and socialising with her friends.
Lucy Harris
Recruitment Consultant and IAG Lead
Lucy is part of the recruitment team. her favourite part of being a recruiter is building relationships with both the candidates and clients. She has a higher national diploma in dance, lives on a farm and enjoys a night out at Bongo Bingo’s. Lucy is also Starting Off’s IAG lead, creating literature for students who are about to take the next step in their careers on completion of their apprenticeships.
Deb Mapson
Recruitment Administrator
Deb is our new Administrator, and the thing she likes most about her job is talking daily to the students, booking them in for their virtual registrations, and listening to all their hopes and dreams!
Â
In her spare time Deb loves to dance, Latin American, rock in roll and the Tango – riding her bike, and walking her gorgeous cockerpoo who is named after her favourite dance – Tango !
Very good service for potential employers and the training is also excellent for those who apply
Martin Ryan
