Preparing for the EPA Interview in a Different Way | by Kim Merritt

End Point Assessment (EPA). I may now have been on my Data Fellowship apprenticeship for around seven months, but those three words still have the power to make me twitch whenever I hear them.

The EPA can be a daunting prospect for a lot of apprentices. We’re all aware we’re going to have to go through the assessment to get our hands on the certificate we’ve been working so hard for, but that doesn’t stop us from being nervous about it. If you’re anything like me, you’re probably already worrying about whether you’ll be ready on the day and able to answer all the assessor’s questions.

A lot of these nerves for me stem from a fear of public speaking. I’m a naturally introverted person and so being in a situation where all eyes are on me isn’t exactly fun. But if there’s one thing my apprenticeship has taught me so far (along with lots of cool data stuff), it’s this: you have to push yourself outside your comfort zone to grow and take little steps to get you to where you want to be.

This doesn’t mean I’ve immediately signed myself up to present to a crowd at an industry event, although I’m hoping to eventually be comfortable enough to do that one day. These little steps for me have involved activities which have helped me improve my confidence – and therefore potentially prepare me for my EPA – yet they haven’t been directly related to public speaking or my apprenticeship. Sometimes it’s possible to participate in something which can provide unexpected benefits.
 

Volunteering for a charity

I’ve been volunteering for over nine years now and it has been one of the best things I’ve ever done to encourage myself to break out of my introverted shell. The photographs above were taken by fellow volunteer Omar Albadry who I had the pleasure of meeting while looking after a stand for SpecialEffect at an expo in October. This organisation uses technology to put fun and inclusion back into the lives of people with physical disabilities, a goal which aligns with my work in technology and education.

That’s the key here: finding a charity which means something to you, so you feel passionate about doing it. I still get anxious before an event even after so many years because I know I’ll have to talk to strangers and answer their questions. But as soon as I’m there speaking about a cause which resonates and knowing I’m doing something positive for it, the nerves disappear and it starts being fun. I’m hoping to be able to channel some of this enthusiasm during my EPA interview.

Creating videos or streaming

As part of my support for SpecialEffect, I’ve had the opportunity to take part in the creation of videos and live streams on social platforms such as YouTube and Twitch. Watching myself back afterwards makes me cringe because I don’t like hearing my own voice, but I can’t deny this is a useful tool for seeing where you can improve. Content creation like this has made me feel more comfortable being in front of a camera, another skill which is going to benefit me at EPA time.

If this is something you’d like to try and you’re not sure where to start, look out for the next Multiverse Content Workshop. I haven’t yet attended one of these myself but have heard so many good things about them from other apprentices. During the day, you’ll be provided with the skills to create short-form videos and strategies for managing social media, while creating content which will help inspire more people to choose apprenticeships in the process.

Attending conferences and meetup groups

Talking to others who work in similar industries is a great way of sharing knowledge and best practice. This is something I found early on during my IT service management (ITSM) role, where there are plenty of conferences and meetup groups for people with similar interests. The networking can still make me want to run occasionally but attending events like this has allowed me to learn from others’ experiences and become more comfortable introducing myself – another skill ready for the EPA.

The Multiverse Community Hub is a good resource as a variety of meetup groups are regularly advertised on the events page. These range from networking and study groups to games nights and after-work drinks, and there’s an opportunity to host your own if there isn’t one which already covers your interests. This is something fellow apprentice Phil Dainton-Smith and I are doing and we’re in the process of planning something for anyone who works in an ITSM environment.

Learning from others by watching talks

A lot can be learnt from watching others do the talking. Over the past few months, I’ve realised how useful it is to observe how powerful speakers manage their voice and body language to draw their audience into their world and keep them there. I’ve picked up a few useful tips by paying attention during work meetings, while watching YouTube videos and when joining Community Hub workshops. These are things which I’ll try to keep in mind and use to boost my confidence when the EPA interview arrives.

I asked a few fellow apprentices for their favourite TED Talks and received some interesting answers. The art of misdirection by Apollo Robbins was mentioned for the way the presenter engages with the audience. Inside the mind of a master procrastinator by Tim Urban was noted for its combination of personal story and humour. And finally, How great leaders inspire action by Simon Sinek shows how a message can be effectively conveyed by continuously circling back to the central point.

I’ve still got a way to go before I’m up on stage at an industry conference, but these activities have really improved my confidence since starting my apprenticeship. I was able to present with my team during a Data Fellowship hackathon in September and was pleasantly surprised at how less nervous I felt about speaking to a room of around 30 people. While I don’t think I’m ever going to be entirely comfortable when it comes to public speaking, those ‘little steps’ I mentioned above are definitely helping.

If you’re feeling anxious about being interviewed for your EPA, you’re not alone. We’re all on this apprenticeship journey together and there are things you can do to prepare yourself for the day. If you’d like to talk to someone, consider signing up for Peer Support or joining one of those meetup groups. I might even see you there.

Thanks to Omar Albadry for kindly agreeing to the use of the SpecialEffect photographs, and to coach Craig Hamilton for taking photographs during the hackathon.

Kim Merritt is a Data Fellowship Apprentice at London Business School and is also part of Elevate.