Whitney, 24, is the newest apprentice to join our Training Now team, working towards her level 3 business administration apprenticeship.
As well as providing social care, education and business apprenticeships to employers across the country, we welcome our own apprentices, working in our head office on the Isle of Portland.
Two months into her placement as a course administrator, we caught up with Whitney to find out more about her journey and how she is finding her business administration apprenticeship.
Meet our newest apprentice
Whitney spent an impressive seven years working in retail for the same company. During this time, she attended college and later completed a Level 2 Retailer apprenticeship.
But working in retail was never Whitney’s dream career and she was eager to find a more structured work environment with avenues for progression.
As is common for many, upon leaving school Whitney struggled to find ways of gaining the experience she needed to find employment. She explains,
“I applied for admin jobs but I just didn’t have the experience. So I thought, why not gain the experience while doing it. That’s the good thing about an apprenticeship.”
Thanks to her friend and our Enrolment and Compliance Officer Andrea, Whitney found an opportunity with Training Now.
With an apprenticeship, Whitney can gain the skills she needs to progress her career and earn while she learns. Through a combination of on and off the job learning, Whitney is working towards the all-important qualification she needs.
“My apprenticeship means I can be earning while gaining more knowledge and experience. For me, the most important thing is that it allows me to gain a qualification and helps me develop my career.”
Level 3 Business Administrator Apprenticeship
As a Course Administrator, Whitney supports the learning and development team in making sure that Training Now’s professional development courses run smoothly. It is her responsibility to book and make sure that people can access their SAT training.
Whitney has made a great start already and has recently taken on the additional responsibility of administering the claims for the Workforce Development Fund.
Managing Director for Training Now, Tara Roudiani, added:
“Whitney is already displaying the level of customer service expected by us in Training Now. She can troubleshoot and field phone calls from our candidates when they are struggling to access their training courses or their assessments and has a real eagerness to learn. She is a valuable and valued member of our team.”
With on the job learning, Whitney is gaining practical experience in course administration; enabling her to not only learn, but to build confidence in her new found knowledge and skills.
This was particularly true last month when Whitney visited the Agincare Weymouth Home Care office to invigilate a functional skills exam.
“My business administration apprenticeship helps me gain the experience I need while doing it. It helps me to learn through actually doing it rather than just reading or sitting in a classroom. Having done a course on the rules and then getting to invigilate an exam, I am so much more confident.”
Support services for apprentices
All of our apprentices are supported by a Teaching and Learning Coach and also benefit from our range of additional support services.
This includes careers advice and guidance with a specialist careers advisor. During these sessions, apprentices can seek help exploring their options for the future, updating their CV or building their interview skills.
Whitney is supported through her apprenticeship by Teaching and Learning Coach Klaudia who provides guidance, mentoring and training.
When talking to Whitney, she stressed the value in having a supportive team around her.
“What’s special about Training Now is that they are so supportive. My Teaching and Learning Coach is always available to listen or help me and I know how to access additional support if I need it. Everyone is always there to answer questions I have and to help me learn.”
Whitney is also supported by Training Now’s previous business administration apprentice, Katie, who continues to work within the team; offering her insight into her End Point Assessment and what to expect throughout her apprenticeship.
Unlocking your career potential
Already, Whitney has settled into the team, and to her role. What’s more, she shares a genuine passion for supporting others to receive the learning they need to realise their career potential.
However, for the newest apprentice, there is another factor that makes working at Training Now so rewarding.
Training Now primarily delivers social care apprenticeships and short courses to care staff working for Agincare; one of the UK’s largest care providers. This, Whitney explains, makes her work all the more gratifying.
“My job is so rewarding. I get to help people to care for people. I help give them the training to do that.”
For Whitney, her business administration apprenticeship is helping her to escape the dilemma faced by many leaving school and looking for a career. She is gaining the qualifications needed to open new doors for the future.
While her exact path remains unclear, Whitney stressed how her apprenticeship was a means of opening up new doors for the future.
“Apprenticeships are a stepping stone into more options. I want to work my way up in administration and take opportunities that gaining my qualification will open up for me.”
Drawing our conversation to an end, we asked Whitney what advice she would give to anyone considering an apprenticeship with Training Now. Her advice:
“Go for it. It’s a big step towards your long term goal and everyone is so supportive and helpful.”
