02/02/2023 15:13:58
National Apprenticeship Week 2023 - Skills for Life!
National Apprenticeship Week 2023 - Skills for Life!
Welcome back to the final instalment of our interview with an apprentice series!
As National Apprenticeship Week 2023 draws to a close, we caught up with some of our past apprentices Abi, Jordan, Alex and Beth to see how the skills they developed from their apprenticeships have helped them in their current roles here at Blue Stream Academy.
The theme for this year’s National Apprenticeship Week is ‘Skills for Life’, what skills have you developed from your apprenticeship that you will carry through the rest of your career?
Jordan: Everything that I learnt during my apprenticeship has been useful towards my career! Whether that was processes of software development, theory-based work, or working within a professional environment, I can utilise all of these skills in my role.
Beth: I learned a lot throughout my apprenticeship, ranging from problem solving to more in-depth methodologies within software development. These skills will be relevant throughout the rest of my career because they are all important aspects within the industry. I completed a lot of off the job training as a part of my apprenticeship, this allowed me to build my skills within things such as communication, problem solving, teamwork and organisation.
Alex: I mainly used email which improved my writing skills and attention to detail. On occasion I made phone calls to help clients with any problems they had. This helped to improve my confidence and my public speaking skills which I often struggle with. I also continued to develop my knowledge of a variety of software while completing reports and using the different programs needed to log customer queries – as well as familiarising myself with different web browsers and operating systems while trying to replicate customer’s issues.
Abi: During my apprenticeship, I learnt the basics and importance of business administration, which throughout my career have been put into practice almost daily. Although I have now progressed down a marketing route, business administration skills are always useful and can be applied to a range of business roles!
Alongside this, the studying and workload balance techniques that I learnt during my apprenticeship have been utilised ongoingly whilst completing a Level 5 and 6 certifications after my apprenticeship. These organisational and time-management skills have supported me as I’ve negotiated the logistical challenges of studying whilst working full-time.
Do you have for anyone completing the final stages of their apprenticeship?
Beth: Complete tasks and projects as fast as possible to avoid missing deadlines!
Abi: I’d recommend making full use of your apprenticeship providers’ resources, knowledge and communication opportunities whilst completing the final stages of your apprenticeship. If there are any elements that you do not feel 100% confident about or that you’d like to reinforce, make the most of having an educational mentor available to ask questions and truly optimise your skillset. Organisation is key when it comes to completing the final stages and any required revision – schedule time to study and stick to it! The foundations of good organisation will support you more than you can ever imagine throughout your career.
Jordan: Make sure you revise!
Alex: Stay on top of your workload to avoid looming deadlines!
And finally, what was your favourite aspect of your apprenticeship?
Alex: I was lucky to be able to complete all my coursework in the office which meant I could get my work done then have set time to complete any assignments. I’m also extremely grateful for all the amazing people I would not have met without my apprenticeship.
Abi: My favourite aspect of completing an apprenticeship was the ability to earn a regular wage whilst learning and developing. A lot of my friends went to university and had a great time whilst they were there but are now left with a huge debt figure and often or not are not putting their degrees to full use. My apprenticeship allowed me to explore the business landscape, discover my love for marketing, and create a good foundation for my professional career, all whilst earning money!
Jordan: Being able to learn whilst working!
Beth: My favourite aspect was the feeling of receiving my results and seeing the positive outcome of all my hard work!
Thank you team!
It’s safe to say that our apprentices have made a positive impact here at Blue Stream HQ and they really have learned ‘Skills for Life’!
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