I am a current 6th year secondary student, and have been an apprentice at SpringGen since September 2021, as part of my Foundation Apprenticeship in Business Skills course in school. My time working at SpringGen, I have particularly enjoyed being given the responsibility to complete tasks that have meaning within the workplace. I am very motivated by the trust and faith I have received from my mentor, Jenny Madhoo, which has given me great opportunities to prosper and give my best performances. Furthermore, I have enjoyed my time at SpringGen as it has been brilliant to have my first proper taste of an office atmosphere and the fast-paced environment that it provides. As a result of working in the office, I’ve been able to develop my interpersonal and communication skills. Occasionally, I have needed to talk with colleagues whom I am not too familiar with, so being approachable has been important.
As an apprentice I have been involved in many tasks, my personal highlight being when I was instructed to prepare 2 Microsoft Presentations with partnering scripts, that are to be used in local schools as a part of a Financial Education video series. The two topics I covered were Financial Behaviours with case study examples and Savings and Bank Accounts. My knowledge and intrigue into these topics made this a perfect assignment for me, as I thoroughly enjoyed working on it and gave it my all.
Through my apprenticeship, I have developed many of the core skills that I need for the world of work, one of these being my problem solving. While I have always been a troubleshooter at school, I’ve found that in the real world and in the workforce in particular, you must be proactive and forward-looking to stay on top of your workload, as well as to solve any problems that might arise. An example of an issue that I have had to resolve is when I had to work from home. This meant that I had to be in a consistent online dialogue with my mentor and make sure that I fully comprehended the tasks being given to me, as I could not simply ask anyone like if I were with them in an office.
My SpringGen apprenticeship has further consolidated my plans to try and secure a school leavers apprenticeship at a local financial services business. In school, I enjoy and excel particularly in my accountancy and business subjects, so I have always expected this to be my path. My apprenticeship has allowed me to gain a better understanding of what an office environment looks like and has given me an invaluable experience that will serve me well in my future career.
The benefits of a Foundation Apprenticeship course in your senior year are immeasurable, especially since it allows you to leave school during the week to learn in a new environment. Anyone who wishes to acquire first-hand knowledge and a more hands-on approach to their career pathway should definitely consider the Foundation Apprenticeship Programme. As soon as I heard this opportunity was available, I knew it was the perfect for me!
Written by Kieran Knowles
SpringGen Apprentice
