Business Apprenticeship: Chel'c West
Chel'c started her apprenticeship in October 2016. She had decided to return to work after four years, but was unsure what path she wanted to take.
When applying for different roles Chel'c needed to find a post that matched the needs of a potential employer with her requirements as being a parent of a young child and her desire to gain a recognised qualification.
When Chel’c saw the administrative apprenticeship advertised on the gov.co.uk website she applied and was invited to attend an informal interview. Chel’c describes her feelings when attending the interview,
“I was obviously nervous going into the interview as I knew the location and hours were prefect for me so I really wanted the position. Everyone was very welcoming and made me feel at ease.” Chel’c was successful and was offered the job.
Chel’c remembers feeling overwhelmed when she first began her new job at Oxhey Children’s Centre. However, after a short period of time she became capable at providing administrative support in a busy and changing working environment.
Other members of the setting saw how capable Chel’c was in her role. Helen Walsh, (Oxhey Group Manager) states, “It has been a real pleasure to have Chel’c. She picked things up very quickly and within a few weeks of starting she became an asset to the team. Having her as an apprentice has been delightful.”
Alongside her professional workload Chel’c was able to organise her studies and parental responsibilities. She showed determination and dedication by completing this part of her apprenticeship course earlier than expected.
Chel’c’s overall experience of being an apprentice in a children’s centre has been a positive one and she says, “I feel really good about completing sooner than expected and the whole experience has been such a good one.”
The staff at the Pre-school Learning Alliance wish her every success with completing the last stage of her apprenticeship and with her future career.