How far will the fast track apprenticeship take you? It has taken me 231 Miles so far and my journey has only just begun.
In 2014 I was in college studying for my A-Levels but unsure where I wanted to go from there. I had applied for university courses but my heart was never in it. I knew I wanted to go into work but I also wanted to take my education to the next level. I only wish I knew then what I know now!
I finished college and made a last minute decision to join Merseyside Police, a career that had always interested me. I worked as a PCSO for two years before coming to the conclusion that the job wasn’t for me. I turned my attention back to education, looking at university and other professional qualifications. However, I wasn’t willing to give up the full time wage that I had become so accustomed to. Then only by chance I stumbled across the website ‘notgoingtouni’ and the rest is history! I discovered higher apprenticeships, just what I was looking for! And through that I found the Civil Service Fast Track apprenticeship.
The Civil Service Fast Track apprenticeship stood out above all others due to the esteem the organisation was held in with my family and friends. The competitive salary meant that I didn’t have to take a wage cut and the level of qualification was above what I had already achieved. So I wasted no time in applying.
I applied for the Project Delivery Fast Track Apprenticeship in February 2016. I chose this scheme due to its broad nature and the diverse range of attributes it required. Strangely enough I enjoyed the application process, as I love to test myself and compete with peers. The assessment centre was my highlight, a tough day but an insight into what it may be like to take the lead on my very own project.
In August I found out that my application had been successful and in September I was allocated a place in London. Being from Liverpool this was a massive decision for me but I had a lot of faith in the scheme and decided to take the plunge.
So here I am, living in London and enjoying every minute of it. I work for the Department for Work and Pensions in Westminster as a Project Support Officer on the Universal Credit Programme; one of the largest the Government has ever undertaken. Public service offers challenges like no other, for making the taxpayer happy is a mammoth task within itself. My current role involves supporting the day to day running of the programme, completing work force plans and looking after procurement. In my two years on the apprenticeship scheme I expect to gain as much exposure as I can, moving from team to team to develop an understanding of how all the pieces fit together in order for a project to be successful. I am due to start the learning side of the apprenticeship very soon and I am very much looking forward to expanding the knowledge I have already gained of the Project Delivery Profession.
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