I started working at Visionpath a year ago today and it has been an amazing journey of learning new skills and gaining experience. Visionpath has given me a great opportunity to build my employability and embark on my ideal career path. I’m really looking forward to completing my apprenticeship this month and staying on in a new role from 2019. Looking back on the last 12 months, these are just a handful of the reasons I chose an apprenticeship and why I’m glad that I did.
Skills and knowledge
Apprenticeships provide a foundation for developing skills and knowledge, because you’re learning as you go along. Quite often, I’m picking up skills and knowledge without even realising! In my role I’ve been exposed to so many different aspects of the working world and had the opportunity to get involved in a variety of projects at Visionpath, which has helped me learn and grow.
If you always seek self-improvement then an apprenticeship is a great platform for building your experience.
Support
Going from school to a job can be challenging as it’s a brand-new experience and environment that you’re not familiar with. Apprenticeships support you with this transition and help you adjust to a new way of working that’s very different from school. Support is always on hand if I’m stuck; if I don’t understand something then I can ask my colleagues – as my boss told me on day one, no question is too stupid!
Experience
A lot of students find themselves leaving school with great qualifications but no experience to match. During an apprenticeship, you’re gaining valuable experience of the working world which can prepare you to progress in a career.
Qualification
20% of an apprenticeship is spent learning, which goes towards a qualification. My college work runs alongside my job role, so I cover topics that I can evidence with the real work I’ve done in my job.
Now that my apprenticeship is coming to an end, I will be getting a Level 3 Diploma in Business Administration. While this is the same level as the A-levels I completed in school, my apprenticeship qualification was much more applied and practical. I had to take a very different approach compared to my studies in school.
Learning about myself
I have learned so much through being an apprentice as I had no other experience of working full-time in an office, so it was completely new to me.
Something I struggled with in particular was managing my time. I had a list of tasks to complete but organising and prioritising them proved difficult. My boss and assessor from the college helped me in forming a time management plan so I could organise each task into a timeframe, ensuring they were all completed within deadlines. This is just one of many examples where I’ve self-reflected, pinpointed a weakness and progressed.
There are many skills that this apprenticeship has taught me, and I know that I’ll utilise everyone in my future work!
Progression
Most apprenticeships last 12-18 months but if you do well in that time it's possible you’ll have a permanent employment opportunity with your company afterwards.
In January I’m excited to be staying on at Visionpath as a Programme & Partnerships Assistant where I’ll be supporting our programmes and developing our all-important school partnerships. I’m really looking forward to starting my new role and continuing to play a part in helping young people like me to be future-ready!
