Today marks the beginning of National Apprenticeship Week 2020, which puts a spotlight onto apprentices across the UK. Celebrating this year’s theme of ‘LookBeyond’, the focus is on the experience and skills gained during the apprenticeship, and the opportunities that are available after completion of the course.
I joined Norfolk Chambers of Commerce back in December 2019, taking on a level 3 apprenticeship in business administration. Having completed a level 2 apprenticeship just before, I know the value of the role and how it is an excellent opportunity to continue developing my skillset in both a professional, and personal, sense.
I chose to go down the road of apprenticeships in the first place as I wanted to gain first-hand experience of working in a new industry, as the combination of on-the-job training and academic studies really covers all bases and gives you a strong foundation to kickstart your career with the doors that can be opened.
Although my time at Norfolk Chambers is still early days, I have hit the ground running and been heavily involved in the day-to-day duties of the Customer Experience Team and membership engagement. I have also been involved in supporting the finance team and the set up of networking events. I even attended said events, namely the first Great Yarmouth networking breakfast of 2020, and the Cinderella Theatre Royal Back Stage Tour and Networking Breakfast. From this I have developed my communication, networking and time management skills, to name a few. One of my biggest ‘LookBeyond’s this year, which I am very excited for, is attending the famous B2B Exhibition towards the end of 2020 – needless to say, my time here thus far has been a blast! I have been made to feel extremely welcome and I was soon trusted to have my own responsibilities, and as I know that I have the faith and support of everyone on the team I look forward to the year ahead and what the future may hold for me both during and beyond my apprenticeship.
I highly encourage anybody who is considering taking on an apprenticeship to take the leap and get stuck in! In this day and age where work experience is equally as important as qualifications, if not more so in some cases, the personal and professional development you will gain is invaluable in allowing you to ‘LookBeyond’ and create opportunities for your future.
