International HR Day 2021

 #InternationalHRDay

International HR Day on the 20th May will recognise the profession, the work that we do and our positive contribution for individuals and organisations, on a national and international scale. 

The theme for 2021 is HR shaping the new future. The theme is about our role as a profession in leading change to improve working lives, and not slipping back into traditional ways of thinking and working. For more information on International HR Day, visit: International Human Resources Day, IHRD, 20 May 2020 (eapm.org)

Today at Devon County Council, we are celebrating our HR staff who are currently undertaking a HR apprenticeship alongside their job roles. Let's hear from some of our HR apprentices!

Amy Kyme, Assistant Apprenticeship Advisor - Level 5 HR Consultant/Partner

After completion of the Level 3 HR Support apprenticeship, I started my Level 5 apprenticeship in April 2021 to continue my personal development. 

My apprenticeship has helped to build on my HR knowledge and develop my skills further. It's been a great experience and undertaking the apprenticeship with apprentices from different organisations has been invaluable for understanding how the HR function can operate across sectors. It's opened up opportunities to get involved in new areas of work. More recently I've been involved in a project looking at how we will work in the future following the coronavirus pandemic by facilitating focus groups for Devon County Council employees. 

Rebecca Hall, HR Administrator - Level 3 HR Support 

For me, undertaking the HR Support apprenticeship has been incredible, I am learning things one day and readily applying them the next. In class, I love being able to meet with other aspiring HR employees from different organisations so I’m not just gaining knowledge about Devon County Council, but how HR teams are operating across different sectors. 

Doing the apprenticeship has afforded more opportunities, such as the Apprenticeship of the Year awards as well as different projects and challenges both to support the apprenticeship and facilitate learning.  

Olivia Mitchell, Recruitment Coordinator - Level 5 HR Consultant/Partner 

I have recently just completed the Level 3 HR Support apprenticeship as I wanted to gain a broader knowledge of the different areas of HR. It has definitely provided me with more confidence within my job role, helping me to perform more effectively and provided me with a wider knowledge of the different functions within HR.

I really enjoyed the Level 3, and recently just started the Level 5 HR Consultant/Business Partner Apprenticeship with Exeter College to learn more about HR, gain a CIPD qualification and sustain a career within HR at DCC. I enjoy attending college once a week where myself and peers share ideas and learn more about each of our organisations and the role HR plays.

I am currently part of a working group to implement a new learning and development module on our HR Management system iTrent. This is phase 3 of the project and I was recently involved in the implementation of the recruitment module prior.  

Emily Sutcliffe, Recruitment Coordinator - Level 3 HR Support 

I decided to complete an apprenticeship as I was determined that I wanted to advance my career within HR. 

I’ve found my experience really valuable and very interesting. Through the apprenticeship, I was able to compete in Apprentice of the Year Awards 2021, and have been involved in more projects at work. My favourite part of my apprenticeship so far was the module on personal and professional development, as it allows for lots of insight and reflection into personal strengths and weaknesses. All the knowledge has been helpful for my job role as the assignments focus on our organisation and job roles specifically. I have learned useful skills for project planning and teamwork.

At Devon County Council we also have a number of staff completing other apprenticeships alongside their job roles such as the Level 7 Senior Leader Master's Degree, Level 5 Learning and Development Consultant/Business Partner,  Level 4 Data Analyst and the Level 3 Business Administrator.  

Amy Kyme

Assistant Apprenticeship Advisor 

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