An Interview with One of Our Own Apprentices
We spoke with Emily, who started her career with Enginuity over eight years ago, as an apprentice. Since then she has become a coordinator for End Point Assessments and is involved with the running of WorldSkills for EAL. Here she tells us about her journey through the apprenticeship which led to a full career, what she felt were the best parts and if she would recommend starting your journey in a similar way.
What apprenticeship did you do and why?
My apprenticeship was in Business Administration and I completed my Level 2 and Level 3 whilst working here at Enginuity. During my time in college, I never thought about doing an apprenticeship, but I knew I didn’t want to go to university – I was the only one in my class not to apply. I was also unsure of what career I wanted to pursue, so after applying for many roles, the apprentice administration vacancy came up and I was lucky enough to get the job.
What was the best thing about being an apprentice?
I would say the best part was being able to learn whilst working with the bonus of getting paid to do it. A lot of my friends were jealous as they went to University for three years and I was further along in my career than them by doing an apprenticeship when they finished.
What did you learn during your apprenticeship?
Along with vital on the job skills that I wouldn’t have learned in the classroom, the most important thing for me was the self-confidence. My first boss would say that the person who walked through the door and the person I am now are at opposite ends of the scale. That was down to the opportunities I had to develop myself within the business and the career progression I have made during my eight years here.
How did you find learning whilst working?
I would say I’m very much a kinaesthetic learner (a learning style requires that you manipulate or touch material to learn) so doing an apprenticeship was the perfect fit for me. I don’t like being taught or shown how to do something, I much prefer trying it for myself and learning from it, which my apprenticeship gave me the chance to do.
What would you say to people considering an apprenticeship?
I would definitely advise people to look into apprenticeships. They’re a great way to be able to learn on the job whilst also earning an income and you come away from it with the same qualifications. Also, the experience of working within the industry is something that you wouldn’t necessarily get by going to University. It was a great starting point for my career, and I have only progressed since then.
If you’re considering an apprenticeship in engineering or manufacturing, EAL has over 300 industry leading qualifications for you to choose from. To get started browse by sector or search qualifications.