My great expectations...

I began my apprenticeship with BPS World 2 years ago, enrolling on their ‘Rising Stars’ programme and I must admit, my expectations of an apprenticeship were nowhere near the reality!

Now, 2 years on, I want to share the knowledge I’ve gained in the rollercoaster world of training as an apprentice, in the world of recruitment. 

When most people hear the word "training", it’s met with a collective groan;

 “Not another hour of taking notes!” 

The truth is that training in an apprenticeship is the key to doing your job well (and properly!).

I will admit, my expectations were that I would struggle to learn after being in work for over 3 years, I would find the subject matter a little dull, and I would have difficulty understanding some of the new concepts presented to me! 

 Well, how wrong I was…

BPS World made the training I received a positive experience, rather than a chore. The training modules were interactive so it was very different from the classroom experience I had at school. Yes, the schedule was jam packed, but each session gave way for a fresh batch of ideas, comments and questions, which were gratefully welcomed by each session leader.

As I overcame my initial fear of voicing my thoughts, I opened myself up to ask the ‘silly’ questions that I’d once been afraid to ask and embarked on a valuable learning journey.  The learning environment was supportive and this has contributed my fast-paced progression. 

The “learning on the job” approach helped me pick the role quickly (once I had overcome my initial fear of the phone!) especially training on “How to verify a candidate”. One of my more memorable sessions was learning about discrimination and how to be compliant and equal, which was not a subject I thought I would grow to love. We were often given topics to think on and research. It never felt like ‘homework’ because I was always keen to delve further in to the learning journey, rather than scratch at the surface.

When it came to exam day for my REC Level 2 in Recruitment Resourcing, all my training, revising and experience in my role made me feel confident in my abilities. Obviously, there was the initial nerves as I hadn’t taken an exam since my GCSE days but I felt prepared for the exam questions. 

Even post apprenticeships the learning journey never ends at BPS World, there is always an opportunity to continue your personal development through management training, learning from peers and or industry specific qualifications such as the REC Level 3 in Recruitment Practice.

Before starting my apprenticeship, I would have found it hard to image that I would be gaining qualifications and working as this wasn’t my expectation of “going out to work”.  I am glad I have chosen an apprenticeship; the qualifications I have received are a testimonial to all the hard work I have put in and an acknowledgement of the experience I have gained.

My story is just one of the many to go to show, expectations are not always akin to reality!

Do you have any experience of apprenticeship you would like to share? If you would like to learn more about our Rising Stars apprenticeship programme, please click here or contact Natalie Winterton on 01628857330 or natalie.winterton@bps-world.com