Its National Apprenticeship Week this week, a fantastic celebration of the value of apprenticeships and how they can be highly beneficial to young people starting their career journey.
Here at Unloc one of our primary goals is to bring the best out in young people, and allow them to meet their full potential. One such member of the team is our Operations Manager Ryan Waters, who originally came to us in August 2016 as an apprentice.
Through hard work, enthusiasm and a willingness to learn Ryan has progressed in his career and now focuses on ensuring that all of Unloc’s programmes are delivered in the most effective and efficient way. Ryan was kind enough to share his thoughts on his apprenticeship and the impact it’s had on his life:
“I decided to become an apprentice because I really wanted to jump-start my career. I’d previously dropped out of university and in all honesty was not really sure of what I wanted to do next. I applied for the apprenticeship with Unloc as I was really excited by the opportunities that I could get involved with within the company whilst earning, gaining experience and being paid at the same time”.
“The learning element of my apprenticeship has really allowed me to gain more insight into areas that were proving challenging for me in my role. The best thing about being an apprentice was that every day was different, and the support I received from the organisation allowed me to increase my own personal confidence. The skills that I’ve learnt have really enabled me to become a better member of the team, some of these include; project management, resilience, time management, complex problem solving and communication (to name but a few!)”.
“I would really recommend an apprenticeship to anyone who is looking to start their career and is unsure about going to university. An apprenticeship really does combine the real experience of work with a learning course to best help you into a career. Personally I’ve found that learning ‘on the job’ within the work environment has really benefited me in gaining practical experience”.
“The skills, experience and knowledge I’ve gained allowed me to forward my career with Unloc to now be their Operations Manager, and I now sit on the Leadership Team to help the organisation be successful. When I signed up as an apprentice I just had no idea that this was where I would be now”.
“Doing one apprenticeship is also not always the end either. After I completed my Level 3 in Team Leading I’m now starting a Degree Apprenticeship in Business Management, which will only further enhance my learning and career development. I’d really recommend finding out more about apprenticeships and if they could be the right way for you too”.
We recently launched our free ‘Understanding & Applying for Apprenticeships’ e-course on unloc.online. During this short course sponsored by the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Community Foundation via the National Emergencies Trust you’ll learn all about what apprentices do on a daily basis, and what qualifications and career pathways you can achieve by choosing an apprenticeship.
You’ll also hear first hand from current and past apprentices, who share their personal journeys with you, and explore the different types of apprenticeships and look into why you might consider choosing this path over enrolling at a college/university or securing a job. Our fun interactive activities and quizzes will tackle some of the myths and misconceptions surrounding apprenticeships too.
Why not give it a go? Simply click here!
