9th February 2022
Being an Apprentice: Understanding the value of apprenticeships to employees and employers
As a leading apprenticeship provider to the sector, Solace are keen to explore the benefits of apprenticeships to both organisations and individuals, which is why as part of National Apprenticeship week this year, we asked our current apprentices to share their experiences of being an apprentice.
The following piece was written by Nikki Gambrill from Epping Forest District Council, who was keen to share her experience on the programme, and what being an apprentice means to her.
“Being an apprentice has been a positive experience for me, I applied as I wanted to expand on my skills and understanding of being an effective leader and gain a recognised qualification along the way.
The ILM5 is really well written and allows you to learn from others in the Cohort, listen and learn from guest speakers and complete group work building on British values and discussing views, understanding, and having open conversations in a safe secure environment. It allows you to explore unfamiliar topics and learn from others with these strengths, likewise, it allows you to share your strengths with others and build relationships and networking opportunities.
When I started the course, it came at a time when I started a new Leadership role, I was apprehensive about taking on the commitment of the course with a new demanding role I was unfamiliar with. Never one to shirk a challenge, I decided to use my learning along side my new role and put in practice what I learnt to gain the most from the course and my new role. It has been amazing, I have taken staff along the journey with me writing personal development plans, using tools and techniques from the course to meet strategic objectives and improve services. I would not have achieved quite as much as I have for the organisation I work for, without the knowledge/support from the tutors and content of the course which is easy to follow and gives plenty of choice for you to stretch your leadership and management skills or learn them new.”
To find out more about our Emerging Leaders Apprenticeship Programme, please feel free to explore our dedicated apprenticeship resources or get in touch.