Here at Visionpath, we practice what we preach – walk the talk, so to speak – so we’re proud to count apprentices among our team. This National Apprenticeship Week, we’re handing over to them to share their experiences of being an apprentice – from the reasons they chose this path, to their biggest learnings and challenges so far.
Next up: say hello to Hannah, our Team Assistant.
Hannah, why did you opt for an apprenticeship after leaving school?
I hadn’t really thought about the option of doing an apprenticeship when I left college, but after I completed a Kickstart placement at Visionpath I was offered the chance to take on an apprenticeship. It seemed like an exciting new opportunity to combine the work I’d been doing with learning – which is why I was so welcome to taking it on.
So, what’s your role and what does it involve?
I’m the Team Assistant here at Visionpath, which means I’m involved with supporting the team on any ad hoc tasks that come up. I’m involved a lot with designing resources – whether that be posters, PowerPoints, information packs, or event resources. On a day-to-day basis, I’m often creating new resources for upcoming events and sessions, and making sure everything’s ready in order for things to run smoothly.
"Having time to get to know why things work the way they do within an organisation, learning to improve your personal skill set, and then being able to work in a job role has been really enjoyable for me."
What apprentice training programme are you doing – and how does it relate to your role?
I’m currently making my way through the Level 3 Business Administration Apprenticeship – it complements my work because many of the ad hoc tasks that I do in the office are admin-based, whether that’s sending outreach emails, or maintaining databases. There have also been parts of the apprenticeship that have focused on record and document production, which has tied in well with the work I do in creating and designing resources.
What skills and knowledge have you gained so far?
I’ve been able to further develop the skills and knowledge I gained on the Kickstart scheme through doing an apprenticeship. I’ve been able to improve my organisation skills as well – especially with the type of work I do, it’s important for me to keep on top of everything and ensure things are all put together. Another big thing for me is that I’m quite a nervous person, but through my apprenticeship I’ve been able to build up my confidence quite a bit.
What’s your favourite thing about your apprenticeship?
It’s always posed as the main selling point of an apprenticeship, but I’ve genuinely enjoyed being able to go to work, while also studying and learning at the same time. Having time to get to know why things work the way they do within an organisation, learning to improve your personal skill set, and then being able to work in a job role has been really enjoyable for me.
"Even if you’re unsure of what you want to do, there are so many types of apprenticeship that you can look into – there’ll definitely be something that interests you."
What’s been your biggest challenge, and how did you get the support you needed?
I think the same goes for a lot of apprentices when I say this, but my biggest challenge has been balancing my work with my apprenticeship study time. When the apprenticeship work started to pick up and there was a lot more that needed to be completed on the study side of things, it was definitely a challenge juggling both things at once. By being able to dedicate a day of the week solely to my apprenticeship work I was able to separate the two, keep a much better balance, and be in the right mindset.
What advice do you have for other young people considering an apprenticeship?
My best advice to other young people would be that, if you have a specific interest or career path that you want to follow, definitely see what apprenticeships are available. You still get the learning side of things that you would get from other paths, but you also get the first-hand experience of working in the industry you want to be in. Even if you’re unsure of what you want to do, there are so many types of apprenticeship that you can look into – there’ll definitely be something that interests you.
If you’re a young person thinking about applying for an apprenticeship, find out how we can help you get there.
Or maybe you’re a business looking for support in hiring apprentices? Whatever your size – and whether it’s for the first or fifteenth time – get in touch to find out how we can help.
