As National Apprenticeship Week 2021 draws to a close and as a previous apprentice, I thought I’d write a blog post which details my experiences and some advice for those of you looking to become or hire an apprentice.
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My Experience
I started my apprenticeship in January 2017 at 16 years old, having just left school with my GCSEs. I undertook the Civil Service Fast Track Apprenticeship scheme which provided me with the opportunity to gain a Level 4 qualification in Business Administration.
My apprenticeship offered me a permanent position in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government where I was *technically* a Policy and Assurance adviser for the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) – albeit, I put my fingers in many pies and had a very varied role! In addition to administering ERDF, I also supported the department’s initial response to the Grenfell Tower Tragedy by leading the Grenfell Tower Unit’s IT support service. Finally, I supported the department’s communications directorate, so that the department’s achievements and focuses were shared with the public.
The outcome of my apprenticeship saw me promote and pave the way into my current position where I lead on the delivery of the Army’s Climate Assessment Service within the MOD.
My apprenticeship was a 2 year programme however, I managed to complete it within 18 months, despite various admin challenges. It was split into various modules which required a mix of coursework and a final essay/assignment for each.
I would essentially meet with my fellow apprentice cohort every 6 to 8 weeks for a couple of days, where we would sit in a classroom and learn the skills needed to complete the module. Between that, we would apply those skills in our workplaces, whilst completing your coursework and final assignment. We were all given lots of support from both our line managers and our skills coaches. There was a mix of people within my cohort, I was one of the youngest at the time, but we also had another apprentice in their late 50s! (You really can do an apprenticeship at any age).
The apprenticeship provided me with a solid career in the Civil Service, the opportunity to work in a variety of roles and teams and the opportunity to boost my skills, confidence and abilities. Although there are many things I would change about the scheme I took part in, overall I am glad that I was an apprentice!
My Advice for Apprentices or Those Thinking About Becoming an Apprentice
- Ask for extensions if you need them, and be clear with your manager/employer when you will need additional time or support to complete your apprenticeship work. Regularly speaking to my manager about my apprenticeship workload helped me to consider it as part of my job, and if you don’t tell them how much you have on – they won’t know.
- Be honest with your manager/employer, your assessors and others about how the apprenticeship is going. Don’t be afraid to give feedback on what could be improved about the apprenticeship scheme or if you’re unhappy for any reason. During my apprenticeship, I found some of the content difficult to follow. After I spoke to my assessors I was quickly given the support I needed to get me back on track.
- Make sure you know what your apprenticeship workload will be over the next six months/course duration. I had a vague idea of my forward look of work, this made me feel more in control of my workload.
- Join a workplace Trade Union on day one. My Trade Union bargained with my employer, on my behalf to ensure that I was paid a fair wage (full rate for the grade I was employed at) and ensured that my manager and apprenticeship provider met their end of the deal by supporting me throughout the apprenticeship. You can find out which union is for you here: https://www.tuc.org.uk/joinunion. I am a member of the PCS (https://www.pcs.org.uk/).
My Advice to Current or Potential Managers/Employers
- Treat the apprenticeship as part of the apprentice’s job (this includes being flexible with their time when they need it, and factoring it into their weekly workload).
- Try to link the apprentice’s day-to-day role to their apprenticeship (e.g. through their Personal Development Plan, or suggesting workplace tasks which could be used as apprenticeship evidence).
- Agree with your apprentice what is helpful and respect what they tell you e.g. do they want you to hold them accountable for progress? How much support do they need to complete the apprenticeship?
- Make sure you know who the liaison officer is between your organisation and the Apprenticeship Training Provider – ask them for help with resolving any issues with the delivery of the programme.
- Have regular, informal, 1:1s and ask the following:
- How the apprenticeship is going.
- What the apprentice’s relationship is like with their assessor and skills coach.
- Whether they are enjoying their classroom sessions.
- If there is anything you can do to help if your apprentice has a poor relationship or is not enjoying the apprenticeship (changing assessors/classroom sessions, for example, can be relatively straightforward).
- Whether they have met with other apprentices/are involved in an apprentice network, and whether there is anything you can do to link them up.
If you’re interested in finding out more about apprenticeships, head over to https://www.apprenticeships.gov.uk/.