Gaining Project Management Qualification on the Job | by Rachael Kelly
We’re proud to have reached another milestone on our mission: our community has reached 10,000 apprentices and alumni. In this series, we’ll be celebrating this by sharing ten unique stories from some of our most inspiring Community members.
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Rachael Kelly completed her apprenticeship at Sponge in September 2022.
Back in the Spring of 2020, an intriguing email landed in my inbox. I’d been hankering after some professional project management qualifications to bolster my CV, but up until that point had assumed this would be a costly venture I would need to undertake in my spare time. You can imagine my joy and surprise then on seeing that my employer was partnering with Multiverse to offer a series of professional apprenticeships to interested employees. I was both nervous and excited to embark on my Multiverse journey and become a student again!
Fast forward to today and I’m pleased to say I’ve successfully completed an apprenticeship with Multiverse, achieving a Distinction in the Level 4 Project Management qualification and APM accreditation. Having passed the apprenticeship finish line, I wanted to reflect on my apprenticeship experience and journey.
What Led Me To Pursue an Apprenticeship:
As a young professional with a year’s experience working in project management, I became increasingly aware that potential employers desired and often required applicants to have some level of professional accreditation. Not only would these qualifications open doors for me, but they would stand me in better stead to negotiate my salary. Attaining these qualifications was my end goal, but there were so many more benefits to undertaking them through a Multiverse apprenticeship than I could have anticipated. To name a few:
- The apprenticeship was fully funded by my employer
- I completed my studies during work time, and my employer made the necessary adjustments to my workload to facilitate this
- I could collaborate and learn with other professionals undertaking the same course
- I had a dedicated coach as well as access to many resources, talks and events
- My professional network was expanded
Between the financial benefits and the support network offered, signing up for a Multiverse apprenticeship was a no-brainer for me!
How My Apprenticeship Shaped My Professional Outlook:
My apprenticeship has given me a great sense of pride and confidence in my professional capabilities. Not only this, but it has afforded me unique opportunities that would otherwise have passed me by. For instance, this year I have had the honour of mentoring a new apprentice embarking on their studies. I have been able to develop my mentoring and coaching skills whilst building my professional network through the Multiverse mentoring community. I’ve also been able to get back in touch with a passion of mine, writing, through volunteering for Multiverse’s blogging team: ‘Apprentice Lens’.
Stand-Out Moments From My Apprenticeship:
There have been a few stand-out moments on my apprenticeship journey, the first of which would be winning the ‘Extra Mile’ award for going above and beyond for my mentee. After building a fantastic, fun and impactful relationship with my mentee, it was a real honour to be nominated and to subsequently win this award. The trophy now sits proudly on my bookshelf!
A second stand-out experience for me was the relationship I had with my Multiverse coach Anna-Line and the support she offered me throughout my apprenticeship. Not only did Anna-Line support me through a job and industry transition, assisting in ensuring I could continue my study in my new place of work, but she took the time to provide invaluable advice and guidance whilst I planned my next steps career-wise. My success in the apprenticeship is a testament to her support and guidance and I feel extremely lucky to have been coached by her.
What’s next?
I’m looking forward to starting a new exciting project management role in 2023! I wouldn’t have been eligible to apply for this particular role without the qualifications I have achieved through my apprenticeship, so I feel extremely lucky and grateful to be reaping the rewards of my hard work so soon.
Rachael Kelly is a Multiverse alumnus and is writing for the Apprentice Lens as part of the Blogging Team. She completed the Project Management programme at Multiverse in August 2022. Here’s more about her:
Rachael has enjoyed writing from a young age and dabbles in everything from children’s fiction to topical articles. As a former Multiverse apprentice and mentor, she hopes to champion on-the-job study and support current and future apprentices through the creation of useful blog content.