Early 2016…
I was signed up to do a six-week employment programme under the Prince’s Trust in February 2016 and, during that time, they helped me find work. I didn’t know what I wanted to do and I didn’t have any real ambitions either. At this point, I was a very reserved and quiet type of person. So for me, low confidence was an issue that needed to be resolved. I always knew that it was going to be hard, so I needed to change, no matter what. That six weeks gave me an insight into work life more than I ever got from school work experience. I got to know how implementation systems worked and the importance of data confidentiality – as well as the art of the general working life and how it differed from school and even college.
So, picking up this type of knowledge allowed me to gain a few basic skills in the office environment. Accuracy, attention to detail, attention span, problem solving, timekeeping and confidence were all improved, just in that short period of time. I was then lucky enough to be accepted and then taken on as an apprentice at the same placement.
During my time as an apprentice, my skill set developed further. I attended events such as career shows and have given a few presentations too, which have all given me a boost in confidence. At the very beginning, it did take me a few weeks to get in the routine (and motivation was lacking) but working with others and seeing them work, that is when I found my motivation.
With an apprenticeship, you gain a qualification and you work towards it via an online e-portfolio. It was all saved wherever I worked on it, so I could work on it at home if I wanted to. This made the apprenticeship feel very modern and it made it easier to manage.
My Maths and IT classes were delivered as if they were one-to-one sessions, as the classes were small and the learning felt very focused towards you. This helped me pick up all of the information quickly.
Now…
Now that I have completed my Level 2, I have progressed onto Level 3 and it’s a big jump. Think of a Level 2 as a warm up for Level 3. So it’s everything that you have done before, only it’s harder and you’re given a lot more responsibility in the working environment. I’m now starting to get to grips with my Level 3 and, if I master this, I may look at doing a Level 4 – or something different entirely!
I would recommend doing an apprenticeship to anyone that considers it. Apprenticeships can be done at any age, whether you’re just coming out of school or college. Maybe you even just want to add another qualification to your CV. If so, then do it!
Jake Goddard, Business Administration apprentice at City College Peterborough