Q&A with former apprentice Phoebe Bentley

Q. Did you go to college before embarking on an apprenticeship?

A. Yes, I did both A Levels and a BTEC at College but rather than go to University I decided that an apprenticeship would be a better career choice for me. I completed 2 weeks work experience at Neida which confirmed that the ideal route for me was to achieve an industry-recognised qualification by continuing my learning and starting a career in business.

Q. What did you want to do as a career when you left school?

A. When I left school, I wasn’t 100% sure what career path I wanted to take due to the fact that I studied a range of different subjects; however, I knew I wanted to go into a career where I would be able to progress considerably throughout my role and time at the company. This aided my decision when choosing an apprenticeship over going to university as I knew it would give me a qualification as well as a working experience and the ability to progress.

Q. What additional training /qualifications have you gained or are you looking to gain to improve your career prospects?

A. I have been able to supplement my own personal development in addition to my NVQ modules by completing a St John’s Ambulance training course over a three-day period which qualified me to perform first aid in the workplace. I have also completed STEM Ambassador training to support local students.

Q. What have been the most useful skills you have gained in your apprenticeship?

A. I’ve studied a range of units throughout the apprenticeship from organising events to the principles of customer service. This has enabled me to grow in confidence and utilise my new skills within the workplace.

Q. What’s next for you?

A. I would like to continue my career at Neida and progress within the business, growing my confidence and experience by taking on more responsibility within the commercial department.

Q. What would your advice be to anyone wanting looking at apprenticeships?

A. When looking at apprenticeships it's important to consider what type of learning best suits you, as well as what your long-term goals are. If you learn best by taking a more hands on approach then an apprenticeship would be an ideal path to consider. It's also important to think about what career you want to go into before looking at apprenticeships and pick something that you think you could enjoy in order to get the best out of it.