An up and coming Apprentice from the Midlands has urged other young people to follow her lead and to make the most of the life changing opportunity that an Apprenticeship offers.
Hayley Newcombe from the 3aaa Academy in Birmingham started an IT Apprenticeship earlier this year after attending university for three months and decided that this route wasn’t for her. “I do not regret this decision at all. The topics we have studied have been exactly what I’d hoped, covering a wide range of IT and I have met some lovely people at the academy which has made my experience even better and helped my confidence grow”. said Hayley.
Many young people are led to believe that the common route of Sixth form and University is the only path to a successful career. Hayley disagrees with this assumption stating “I have always had a passion for IT but was looking to gain some work based experience whilst also achieving my qualifications. Apprenticeships really aren’t given as much credit as they deserve”.
Soon after starting her qualification with the 3aaa team, Hayley found the job that was perfect for her as she continued her Apprenticeship journey. Hall’s Garden Supplies, based in Sutton Coldfield were on the lookout for young, enthusiastic people to help transform their business.
With the help of the 3aaa team, Hayley started her employment at Hall’s which signalled the beginning of an exciting partnership. David Coton from Hall’s Garden Supplies echoed this “Hayley has fitted into our organization very well and it already feels like she has been with us for a long time although in reality it has only been a few months. Hayley has shown great enthusiasm, willingness to learn and passion when it come to her job. She has learnt a lot about how our business works and how important it is to engage both online and offline with both colleagues and customers in order to success in a business environment”.
During her time in the work place, Hayley is learning about a range of different tasks that will help her progress within the career of her dreams, combining these skills with the valuable technical knowledge that she is learning within the Academy.
Another aspect of her Apprenticeship journey so far that Hayley has found valuable is the inspirational Hollowford trip. At the start of their Apprenticeships, the 3aaa Apprentices are given the opportunity to go on a further induction where they will take part in a number of entertaining activities aimed at growing key skills such as team work, leadership and communication. Hayley said “The Hollowford trip was brilliant. I loved my time there and it was definitely worth doing”.