Apprentice to Professional
Abi Farr - Payroll Officer
I started my apprenticeship in
October 2016, after completing my A Levels at college. I had originally applied
to go to university, after my school made it seem like university was the only
option. I soon did my own research though, and discovered the apprenticeships
that Devon County Council has to offer. I am so glad I chose my apprenticeship
in HR over my university course, as it has not only provided me with a Level 3
Business Administration qualification, but also work and social experiences
that I would have missed out on.
We have monthly training
sessions with the rest of the apprentices in my year, which gives a great
social aspect where I know I have made some friends for life. Since joining DCC
I have arranged and participated in various volunteering challenges and
fundraising activities – and even taught school children all about farming and
local produce at Farmwise.
In the first year as an
apprentice, we did our volunteering challenge with the WESC Foundation (a local
school for the blind), when they reached out for help with a new site they
have, in trying to develop what was bramble-covered woodland into an outdoor
learning area for the blind and partially blind. A fellow apprentice and I took
on the task of arranging the day; from bramble pulling and shed painting to
cutting down low branches off of trees to create open spaces. We were kindly
donated tools by Build-a-Base, and we brought our own paint paid for by future
fundraising to spruce up an old shed. By the end of the day, a lot of the weeds
and branches had been cleared, and the shed looked brand new! We were lucky
with the weather, and even luckier with the opportunity to take time out of our
work week to help our community.
Getting my permanent position so
early on was mainly down to the amazing support of the apprenticeship team and
those I work with. I was assigned a mentor at the beginning of my
apprenticeship, and even though I am now a permanent member of staff, we still
make time to have regular meetings to catch up.
My confidence has grown both in
my social and work life, and I have been able to gain so much experience in the
workplace that I know will help me in the future. For example, sessions such as
‘Interview Skills’ are provided to us by the apprenticeship team, meaning that
we don’t only gain the end qualification but also general skills that are bound
to be useful in our future careers.
I could not recommend apprenticeships enough,
and with the range of departments within Devon County Council that offer
placements every year, there’s something to cater to everyone!
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