Apprenticeships: What I Wish I Knew | by Rachael Kelly
In August 2022 I undertook my EPA (End Point Assessment), officially marking the end of my Level 4 Project Management apprenticeship. This involved 16 months of study, homework, assessment, collaboration, reviews, exams, presentations and approximately 1000 cups of tea. Needless to say, I've learnt a lot along the way and there were certainly some things I had to learn the hard way. But there is a plus side – I've done it first, so you don’t have to! Here are the tips and tricks I wish someone had told me when I first started my apprenticeship.
5 Tips for a New Apprentice:
1) Learn to learn
Just when you thought homework was a thing of the past, you’ve signed yourself up for further study. Let me tell you, it can be a humbling experience at times; adjusting to deadlines, balancing study with work and learning to learn again can be hard. Take the time to discover your learning style. Whether you’re a prolific note taker or flashcards are your jam, find out what works for you. You’ll thank yourself when you avoid any pre-exam, last minute cramming!
2) Get organised
It’s very easy to feel overwhelmed when you’re trying to balance a full-time job and study. It’s even more overwhelming if you’re disorganised. Set yourself up for success by blocking out study time, organising your study resources, and ensuring you’re prepared for deadlines. This will reduce your stress levels and ensure you’re working efficiently and productively.
3) Don’t be modest
If, like me, you’re required to put together a portfolio of your work, you’ll need to shrug off all modesty and get comfortable with receiving and asking for praise and feedback. Nothing tells an assessor you know your stuff like a testimonial! If you’ve received praise after a project or your line manager has given you a nice write-up in your latest performance review, screenshot it and save it for later. By building a bank of evidence in this way, you’ll have some fantastic examples to pepper throughout your portfolio and won’t be scrabbling around for evidence when your EPA deadline approaches.
4) Format now, save time later
Another portfolio top tip! On a monthly basis, your apprenticeship coach will ask you to submit a portfolio narrative to help hone your portfolio writing skills and get you ready for submission. Rather than seeing this as homework that you just need to get off your plate, take the time to format this properly. By working in your final format from the start, you’ll save time pulling everything together at the end of the course and your coach will be given more opportunities to review your work and provide valuable feedback.
5) Don’t suffer in silence
It’s easy to prioritise work over studying when you’re balancing a full-time job with an apprenticeship. Remember that you didn’t embark on this journey alone; your employer and the Multiverse team agreed to support you throughout your study and should help to facilitate this as best they can. Have open and honest dialogue so your apprenticeship support network can help secure you the time and resources you need to make a success of your course. Remember, this is your qualification, so take the steps you need to ensure you can give it your best shot!
Hopefully, you can learn from my mistakes and the tips above help you get off to a strong start with your apprenticeship. Remember, an on-the-job qualification is no small undertaking, so be kind to yourself and reach out if you require help along the way. There’s a whole Multiverse community at your fingertips should you need them!
Rachael Kelly is a Multiverse alumna and former Project Management apprentice and is writing for the Apprentice Lens as part of the Blogging Team. 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."