National Apprenticeship Week

Former Level 3 Customer Service Specialist Apprentice

Tell us a bit about the route to your current job

My current job is with Runshaw. I began and successfully completed my apprenticeship here while working within the Maths & English teams as a GCSE Attendance Clerk. After successfully completing my apprenticeship I was taken on full time.

What part of your Apprenticeship did you enjoy most?

I enjoyed reflecting on the work I had recently completed that was set by my trainer. Reviewing what I had completed and seeing or figuring out how I could use it within my job role was really rewarding. It helped me to see the progress I was making throughout my apprenticeship.

How did your Trainer support you?

My trainer was very supportive throughout my apprenticeship. With regular meetings to discuss the most recent work set and understanding I may need a quick reminder of bits and pieces when I came to complete elements of the work a week or two later!  I was able to bounce ideas off my trainer for both my apprenticeship and job role and they quickly understood how I engaged and learned with the work and tailored their teaching to suit my needs. My trainer showed genuine interest in my progression and they were easy to approach with any concerns I had and made me feel like I had someone in my corner.

Best Thing About Being an Apprentice?

The ability to work and learn at the same time while developing your career prospects. Having the opportunity to walk straight in to a job after successfully completing an apprenticeship with the advantage of working within the field for over year.

Advice to anyone considering an apprenticeship?

Having the opportunity to work full time while continuing to learn is a great way to develop your employability skills. There’s also the opportunity to resit your GCSE English & Maths if you need to as well. It is worth researching different job roles and apprenticeships to make sure you find the right fit for you, which Runshaw can help with. But do be prepared to manage both learning on the job and learning via a more traditional route.

Former Level 2 & Level 3 Business Administrator Apprentice

What Made you Decide to Come to Runshaw?

I had been at Runshaw sixth form and didn’t want to go to uni. One of the tutors suggested an apprenticeship and showed me vacancies with local employers in the admin field of work.

Why did you choose this Apprenticeship?

I had done business at college, so a business admin apprenticeship seemed like an ideal apprenticeship to do.

What do you Like about your Apprenticeship?

I didn’t want to have the large debt that you get from uni, so earning whilst learning seemed a great
option. It is great to be able to put into practice in the workplace what you have learned on your apprenticeship. The company I work for has also agreed to pay for another course for me which is great for my career progression.

How has your Trainer Helped Support you?

The support from the trainers was a real help. They were always quick to reply if I had any queries.

What advice would you give to someone looking to do an Apprenticeship? 

Keep your options open and think about an apprenticeship. There is a lot to be said for getting a wage, your training paid for and experience on the job.

Former Level 3 Business Administrator Apprentice

What Made you Decide to Come to Runshaw?

After being at Runshaw sixth form, I did a degree and then worked part-time. I wanted to get into education and saw an apprenticeship job offered at Runshaw.

Why did you choose this Apprenticeship?

I wanted to find a position in admin with the opportunity to build my skills and progress. My initial admin role at Runshaw alongside my apprenticeship was the ideal job for me. I am now a senior student tracking administrator.

What do you Like about your Apprenticeship?

It was great having the opportunity to try my hand at different admin-related tasks within the Quality, Management Information & Student Tracking department and work within different areas. At the end of the apprenticeship, I got a permanent contract with Runshaw College, with opportunities for promotion which was great.

How has your Trainer Helped Support you?

There have been plenty of 1:1 sessions. An apprenticeship gives you the opportunity for more 1:1 contact than in other educational settings. The trainers were always available to speak with and went above and beyond. They supported me even after my EPA.

What are your Future Career Aims?

I would like to progress into a management role in the future and get more experience in data and reporting.

What advice would you give to someone looking to do an Apprenticeship? 

Do what makes you happy. An apprenticeship may seem like a pay cut/low wage, but you get experience as well as training and that is invaluable. You don’t often get that with a uni course and you have the debt too!

Former Level 3 Business Administrator Apprentice

My Route to my Current Job

I did A levels at Cardinal Newman. I knew I didn’t want to go to uni. The careers advisor at college told me about apprenticeships and the benefit of apprenticeship having a job and getting a qualification for free!

My job at Cardinal Newman has given me experience in many different roles and departments across the college.

I was offered a permanent job at Cardinal Newman at the end of my apprenticeship.

What Part of your Apprenticeship did you enjoy most?

Getting lots of experience and variety in my job was very advantageous and gave me huge employability skills, including working with accounts and the marketing department.

How did your Trainer Support you?

Very well. They gave great insight, useful recommendations, and consistent support, and you always get a quick response. They ensured I reached my potential.

Best Thing About Being an Apprentice?

The huge amount of experience I gained from working in different areas of the college. Gaining employability skills gave me so much confidence and the opportunity to adapt my skills

What advice would you give to someone looking to do an Apprenticeship? 

Go for it! It is a fantastic opportunity. You will need to dedicate yourself as it is time-consuming, and you need to be motivated. Get confident enough to look for the opportunities and develop your potential!

What is Next for You?

I want to develop my role into a finance-related area having had some finance training. My long-term goal is to work in business and maybe abroad.

Former Level 4 Accounting Apprentice 

My Route to my Current Job

I did a BTEC in college and worked for 3 years in a job, but there was no progression, so I decided to find a route that would give me progression and the opportunity to learn as well.

I started working at the Council in a customer service position whilst doing my Business Admin. Apprenticeship. I then moved into an accounts position and started my AAT apprenticeship, starting at L2 and progressing to L4. In the last 6 months I have started a new role as an Exchequer Support Officer and have more responsibility.

What Part of your Apprenticeship did you enjoy most?

Having support from my workplace and the Runshaw trainer has provided an excellent platform making working and studying at the same time streamlined and productive.

How did your Trainer Support you?

My trainer has given me excellent support and is always available to help me, even in the evenings or before an exam!

Best Thing About Being an Apprentice?

I wouldn’t have reached this level in my workplace without an apprenticeship. The apprenticeship route has been perfect for me, and I couldn’t have done it without the support.

What advice would you give to someone looking to do an Apprenticeship? 

An apprenticeship is a good mix of working and learning at the same time. I think that it is better than university as you can put into practice your skills as soon as you have learnt them.

What is Next for You?

I am hoping to progress in my role and learn more about accounts and payments.

Former Business Admin Level 2 Apprentice

An apprenticeship is a great opportunity to learn foundation skills for my career. It was an opportunity to find out what I wanted to do and make steps toward my future, one being a business degree.

The apprenticeship was the starting block for my career path, now working for the NHS. During the apprenticeship, I received lots of support from the team at Runshaw. I didn’t feel abandoned as an apprentice and it was a great tool to progress my career.

Best Thing About Being an Apprentice?

Knowing that I would get the skills and progression leading to a permanent role. After earning a low wage for the first part of my apprenticeship, my wage increased, and I was earning good money for a 19-year-old, full-time hours with a steady income. It is important to remember that once you progress into a full-time job, your wage will improve.

An apprenticeship was a great starting block for my career, it gave me the skills I needed to progress.

Advice to a New Apprentice?

Get the most out of your apprenticeship. The skills you learn in combination with the experience on the job and your qualification will move you forward in your chosen career. An apprenticeship shows employers demonstrable knowledge, skills and experience in your chosen field.

My Route to my Current Job

I started off in a local engineering firm doing basic admin tasks and then moved to a supported living care company where I expanded my experience into recruitment and HR admin. I worked for this company for a few years also gaining experience in rotas and payroll. Toward the end of my degree, I started in the NHS Midlands and Lancashire Commissioning Support Unit as an admin assistant within the corporate finance team, I worked on an audit in a niche area and also supported the contracting team. I was involved with reworking performance reports for the board which then received positive feedback from NHS England. I also supported with early work on automation, finding ways to auto-generate some reports, documents and information. I have worked in the health service for just over 3 years now, and it is a brilliant organisation to work for.

I decided that in the long term, I wanted to work in operational management, so I pursued a role in a hospital as a personal assistant to surgical division management, this role exposed me to some of the inner functioning of acute services and helped me to identify the skills and experiences I needed to further my career progression.

Leading to my current role as an Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) MDT co-ordinator, based at Royal Preston Hospital where I provide admin support to the clinical team, virtually following patients through pathways of care and reducing delays. I am supporting a team across 3 NHS Trusts in setting up and developing new regional services that will have a positive impact on the patients with ILD.

I am undertaking a master’s degree in law, as I think this will be useful in future roles in operational management. Eventually I would like to be an Operations Director in the NHS, ambitious! But I am committed and nothing will stop me reaching my goal!

Former Business Admin and Customer Service Apprentice

Apprenticeships are so important as they provide real work experience and give options for career progression. It’s easy to follow the crowd and go to college, but it is not for everyone. Apprenticeships let you ‘see’ business in the real world.

There is a stigma that apprenticeships are just for 16 years olds, but there are many apprentices in their twenties and older. Doing a qualification alongside a job taught me so many transferable skills. After achieving my Business Administration and Customer Service qualifications, I took my assessor’s qualification to become a Duke of Edinburgh Basic Expedition Leader. This also allowed me to assess participants and to mentor and support apprentices.

I work at Ashton Community Science College, where I started my apprenticeship.  This gave me the work experience and organisational skills that helped me progress from an office junior to the school events organiser and then a business support officer. Sport England then recruited me as a School Games Organiser overlooking 91 schools.

My apprenticeship changed me as a person. I enjoyed the independence of working and getting more confident. It opened up vast opportunities in employment for me, getting varied experience and people skills.

Former Business Admin and Customer Service Apprentice

I knew I didn’t want to continue in full-time education and was eager to get into the real world. I wanted to work in an office environment and earn money. I wasn’t sure what area I wanted to work in, so I found an apprenticeship through Runshaw College as an office assistant at a firm of solicitors. I quickly moved onto being a receptionist and then a case handler for Road Traffic Accidents. I completed my apprenticeship after 2 years.

After six years at the solicitors, I moved to a bigger practice, where I started as a Litigation Executive. The company part-funded the remainder of my CILEx (The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives) exams as I was learning on the job. The great advantage of an apprenticeship is all the years’ experience you get whilst earning. Undergraduates will have had little or no experience on graduation and student debt for their training. I have been gaining experience, earning and getting my qualifications paid for! I have now been with this firm for over 7 years and have reached the position of FCILEx / Supervisor.

The company increased my wage after getting my first qualification. This shows how you can progress quickly if you work hard.

An apprenticeship is the best decision I have ever made. Deciding not to carry on in full-time education and starting work as an apprentice has set me up well and stood me in good stead. It has also given me a good work ethic from a young age.