The haart lettings and estate agency branch in Leicester has praised the training at Leicester College’s Peter Jones Enterprise Academy after employing two high calibre learners.

Rishi Kotak, 20 and Shabaz Bhim, 21, both from Leicester, spent a year studying for the Academy’s Diploma in Enterprise and Entrepreneurship, at Leicester College.

Now staff at the haart branch in Granby Street are reaping the rewards of employing the young entrepreneurs and are urging the business community to tap into this rich vein of talent.

Andrew Evans, lettings Branch Manager, said: “Rishi originally joined us on a work placement earlier in the year and he absolutely shone, not just as a very nice young man but for his enthusiasm, presentation and confidence, which is way beyond his years.

“He had the raw talent we are nurturing. I would be very interested to accept more work placements from the Academy at the College.

“It has been very fruitful for both parties and my message to other employers would be: try it, you don’t know what opportunities you are missing.”

Louise Jones, Business Enterprise Manager for the Academy, said she will be looking for work placements for the current learners in February next year.

She said: “It was brilliant when haart took on Rishi and Shabaz. Both were bright stars from the beginning. At the end of the course Shabaz won Entrepreneur of the Year and Rishi won Learner of the Year, which was coincidentally sponsored by haart.”

Duncan Jones, haart Financial Services Director, said: “Having introduced them to the business I am taking a keen interest in their progress. Learners enrol on the Peter Jones Enterprise Academy course because they are potential entrepreneurs, they can think for themselves and we want them in our business.”

Rishi, from Glenfield, said he had wanted to avoid university debt: “Working for haart has been a wicked experience. I have learned a lot. It is fast paced and every day is different. I want to progress in this position and go up in the Company.”