Olga is currently completing the Level 5 Coaching Professional Apprenticeship. Find out why she chose to do the apprenticeship, how she is getting on and how her confidence has been boosted. And why she chose a meerkat to represent her learner journey!
“The apprenticeship validates what you’re doing in the workplace and you’re backing it up with known principles and ways of working – you’re not making it up as you go along, and you learn from others that know more than you do.”
I am a Quality Manager at Raytel Group Ltd, it involves compliance and ensuring we maintain our certifications to various standards for example ISO 9001 among others.
Prior to this I was Management Rep for Quality, and a long time before that I started out as a PA and providing administrative support.
I head up the customer service team, and the two supervisors are both enrolled on the Level 3 Team Leader/Supervisor Apprenticeship with Ixion and I was having regular meetings with them. I just felt when the Level 5 Coaching Professional Apprenticeship came up that it would be a good one to do to tie in learning and developing our skills together.
I knew a little bit as we have worked with Ixion for a number of years. We have had people on their apprenticeship courses in the past, and I did know about them and we’ve always worked well with Steven Vasiliou and Beau Blewer. So I knew the company, what to expect, the format and how it’s delivered.
The most interesting would be dipping back into a type of academic study – it’s also challenging at the same time as I haven’t learnt like this for a few years.
Time management would be the most challenging, it’s about getting into a new routine to ensure you can complete all of the reading and the work that has been set, and how you fit things in.
Anything I learn that’s new, and I see an opportunity to use it and apply it – I will! I’ve done a lot of reading so that instantly makes you see things in a new light. It also made me consider the structure of my meetings with my supervisors and not just working in a random way – and that is something I have just learnt in the last couple of weeks that I am able to apply.
I think it’s given me a bit of confidence boost, I did wonder whether I would grasp the information given to me as it’s more academic – and I did question beforehand if I would be capable of doing it. Now I am on the course, doing the reading I have realised yes, I can do this!
What impact do you think it will have on your career?
The apprenticeship validates what you’re doing in the workplace and you’re backing it up with known principles and ways of working – you’re not making it up as you go along, and you learn from others that know more than you do.
It’s a level 5 qualification, so it will look good on paper to progress also.
I am very supported by my employer, and the tutor, Jill, is fabulous! She is calm and knowledgeable, and if you have any concerns she is very supportive, and will encourage you to look at things in different ways. When she joins the one-to-one sessions Jill is very professional, confident and on the ball and in turn that makes you feel capable and confident.
I would, for all of the above reasons and for how it is benefiting me. I am still at the beginning and though it’s not a classic academic pathway if someone is thinking about getting higher qualifications and doesn’t want to go down the university or college route this is a very good alternative.
I do think there is a misunderstanding around apprenticeships – it’s almost a disservice to the qualification. If you’re a business unfamiliar with apprenticeships you won’t realise the benefits of the qualification across the different tiers of education and to your role and organisation.
Enjoyable, confidence-boosting and challenging.
Professional, organised, a lovely personality and calm. I could just learn from Jill alone – working with Jill is a lesson it itself!
A meerkat, as they pop their head up and look around it’s not about just having your head down – it’s about looking ahead.
The Only Way is Up by Yazz, it’s a bit Essex and 80s and TOWIE and it’s about the direction – once you start what’s to stop you and you can keep on progressing!
Disclaimer: this video is from an external source and subtitles are not available.
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