1. Did you go straight into your Apprenticeship from school?
I attended Didcot Girls’ School where I did my GCSE’s and I then continued at the Didcot Sixth Form to complete my A-Level’s in Business Studies and Photography.
2. Why did you choose to do an Apprenticeship?
I chose to do an Apprenticeship because I wanted to be able to gain experience in administration which is an area I knew I enjoyed. I knew this was going to help me gain a variety of skills that would help me with my career in the future.
3. How did you find out about your Apprenticeship?
When I was in Sixth form we had career days which gave us information about what options we had after sixth form and for the future. I was intrigued by Apprenticeships as you are able to learn on the job. I then researched on a variety of different websites about which Apprenticeships were available to me and came across my current Apprenticeship on the gov.uk website. This is one of the websites that the University of Oxford advertise their Apprenticeships on. My mum already works within the University and thoroughly enjoys it, which is why I decided to apply because I knew I would enjoy it too.
4. What have you gained from your Apprenticeship – skills, experience etc.?
Doing an Apprenticeship has helped me gain a lot of experience in the work place, it has allowed me to learn about different areas in administration and the different types of careers that it allows you to enter. This isn’t something that I would have been able to achieve if I had not done an Apprenticeship. It has also helped improve my confidence in talking to new people and the work that I am doing.
5. What has been your proudest moment so far from doing your Apprenticeship?
The proudest moment so far from doing this Apprenticeship is being awarded apprentice of the month by Abingdon and Witney College in August. This isn’t something that I would have been able to achieve without the help and support from the teams that I have been working with in my Department and also the help from my assessor, Annette, to help me complete my Apprenticeship portfolio.
6. What do you plan to do next?
Once I have completed my Apprenticeship, I would hope to be able to find a job within the University and in the area of administration which will enable me to use the skills and knowledge gained during my Apprenticeship.
7. How will your/has your Apprenticeship helped you to achieve this?
My Apprenticeship will help me do this because I am familiar with the University systems and policies which means that this will help me settle into a job in the University easily. I will have already been trained in some areas that may be needed. This Apprenticeship has allowed me to gain important skills which will help with the development in my career further.
8. What advice would you give a young person who might be thinking about an Apprenticeship?
I would highly recommend doing an Apprenticeship in an area that you enjoy. You gain a lot of experience and skills being in the workplace and it prepares you for what your career might hold.
9. What advice would you give an employer who is considering employing an Apprentice?
I think for an employer, it would be very rewarding training an apprentice and watching their confidence and skills develop over time.
How did it feel to be told you were Abingdon & Witney College’s ‘Apprentice of the month’?
I felt very proud and pleased that all the hard work I had put into my portfolio had been recognised by the College.
Read more about Charlotte winning 'Apprentice of the Month' on our blog post.
