Jacob has been playing the drums for nine years and currently plays in the Church Band.
Which school did you go to?
St Gregory the Great Catholic School
Did you leave after year 11 or stay on to sixth form?
I left after sixth form and at A Levels completing Maths, ICT and Business.
Why did you choose to do an Apprenticeship?
The reason I chose an apprenticeship is because I believe that it is vitally crucial to have experience in the working environment plus qualifications. The apprenticeship scheme is a great way for me to learn as I am able to actually do the job and get real experience. Also as I am keen to network and meet new people the apprenticeship scheme allows me to do that as within Oxford University Press there are many employees. Lastly, I am a keen learner and I am always wanting to learn new information and again, the apprenticeship scheme is a great opportunity to do this.
How did you find out about your Apprenticeship?
I found this apprenticeship on the training provider’s website.
What have you gained from your Apprenticeship – skills, experience etc?
Currently from the apprenticeship I have gained many skills. Firstly, I have gained time management skills as currently I am working on Project and one of the key skills is to be able to manage my time so that I complete all the required work. I have also gained this skill by managing my OUP work alongside my college work. I have also gained presentation skills, as I have had to lead project board meetings and also have regular meetings with colleagues. This is a crucial skill to have in the professional environment.
What do you plan to do next?
Next I plan to start a career in Information Security.
How will your Apprenticeship help you achieve this?
My apprenticeship will help me achieve this as after this year I will be able to specialise into one team and then I will be able to gain qualifications and experience in this area.
What advice would you give a young person who might be thinking about an Apprenticeship?
The advice I would give to a young person is firstly, decide what you want to do or specialise in as a career and then think of different paths in order to reach that goal. Then once you have thought of the paths, choose the one which will suit you best. An apprenticeship you allow you to not only gain qualifications but you will also gain valuable experience in the working environment. If you are a keen learner, if you like to get real experience on the job, if you enjoy interacting with colleagues, and if you like being part of and working in a team then the apprenticeship program is a great opportunity.
What advice would you give an employer who is considering employing an Apprentice?
The advice I would give to an employer who is considering employing an Apprentice, would be to firstly have a suitable and professional apprenticeship structure so they are able to get the best out of the apprentice. For example, if the apprentice will be working in a large department then allow them to move around in the different teams within that department so they are able to decide which team they most like. I believe that by having a structure like this the employer will have a more successful apprentice, who will be able to massively contribute to the organisation. On the other hand if the department is not so big then it is crucial that the structure of the scheme is professional and the employer should have a plan of what the apprentice is going to be doing throughout the time they are there.
You can read more about Jacob's experience as an apprentice in his Day in the Life of a Group IT Apprentice blog post
