Rianne Izzard, Age 20, Superior Seals
"The Apprenticeship has really helped to make me feel more confident in the workplace; I would never have had this experience if I had gone straight to university."
I decided the traditional university route wasn’t for me. I’d been given information about Apprenticeships at school, so decided to investigate what opportunities were available. That’s when I came across a role at Superior Seals.
The position was advertised on the National Apprenticeship Service website and it was easy to apply. It was for a role in the logistics team as a Business Administration apprentice.
I felt quite calm going through the interview process, probably because I had participated in mock interviews and CV writing at school. It really does payoff to be as prepared as possible.
When I started, everyone was so friendly and helpful. Even the senior management would ask me how I was getting on; it made me feel part of the wider team.
I found the Apprenticeship well-structured and easy to follow and there was lots of support available at college and through the company itself. When it came to my finance module, I was able to set up a meeting with the accountants at work. They were so supportive and took me through how everything works, which really helped. Everyone is used to having apprentices around asking lots of questions.
My day-to-day tasks vary from updating our KPI (key performance indicator) board, chasing overdue orders to ensure we’re not late delivering to our customers, booking in deliveries, processing customer orders and analysing data.
The Apprenticeship has been so much better than I ever thought it would be. I have been given lots of responsibility and made to really feel part of the team. Halfway through my Level 2 I was even asked if I could take ownership for the company’s social media accounts.
To be a successful apprentice you need to be independent, which is very different to school. You need to be able to balance your day-to-day work as well as the work you need to do for your Apprenticeship. I found getting into a routine really helped.
The Apprenticeship has really helped to make me feel more confident in the workplace; I would never have had this experience if I had gone straight to university.
I have now moved on to a Degree Apprenticeship, which is funded through the Apprenticeship levy. It means that I gain a degree without the debt a lot of my friends will have. Plus, I will have a lot of work experience too; I feel incredibly lucky.
For anyone thinking about doing an Apprenticeship, I’d say do it! I have no regrets. I never thought I could do a Degree Apprenticeship and look at me now!
