Olivia’s apprenticeship and beyond

Where it all started

I had just finished college and wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do, I knew university wasn’t for me so I started looking around for jobs and opportunities. My friend, who already worked for the company, mentioned the apprenticeship programme to me and I thought it sounded like the best way to learn new skills and get paid too, so I applied.

Getting a foot in the door

As expected, I was pretty nervous on my first day but the whole department made me feel really welcome. Straight away I was given a mentor who supported me with all my customer service training before I began using the phone – I was really grateful for this as there can be some tricky questions! After just a few weeks I felt like part of the team and knew that I had made the right choice to start an apprenticeship.

The apprenticeship

I began my apprenticeship in 2016 and found all of it really rewarding. I enjoyed the job role in customer services, I’d gained a whole new skill set and was putting it into practice every day. I also made new friends and my confidence improved. Overall, the experience had shown me what it was like to work for a great company where I felt like I was making a difference.

Opportunity knocks

Since my apprenticeship I have had a few different roles within the company. Thanks to my knowledge from working in the customer service centre, I was able to secure a job in the independent living team and then I moved on to work in the lettings department.

Beyond…

I am currently a Housing Needs Community Advisor, this was a step up from the lettings job I had previously. For every new internal job role I applied for there has been an interview process, which can be a bit scary and daunting. But thanks to the grounding, knowledge and confidence gained from my customer services apprenticeship; coupled with the support and coaching I had received from my mentors and managers, I have been successful with each new role.

Recommendation

I would definitely recommend an apprenticeship with Beyond Housing. It’s been five years since I started my journey with the company and I’ve worked hard and now landed a job that I truly enjoy. Applying for the apprenticeship programme was one of the best things I ever did, I wouldn’t be where I am today if I didn’t do it. If you are thinking about applying for an apprenticeship, my advice would be – just go for it!