Claire Shapcott undertook a Level 5 Operations/Departmental Manager Apprenticeship tutored and supervised by the south-west specialist training experts, Swatpro.
“I was regretful that I didn’t go to university and get a degree when I left school. Now that I am in my 40s, my aspirations in life have changed, but many roles now require applicants to be educated to degree level and so I wanted to improve my chances of moving up the career ladder.”
“I was worried about going back to study as an adult, it was so long since I had written coursework or taken an exam. My college tutor was amazing. She put me at ease, explained everything very clearly and was never judgmental if I had misunderstood something, she just steered me in the right direction and gave me encouragement.
So, what benefits does Claire think an Apprenticeship confers, and would she recommend it to others?
“The benefit for me was that I could study in work time and gain a free, nationally recognised qualification that I couldn’t afford to do myself. A degree via Open University wasn’t an option for me, and I wouldn’t have had time to study with my busy home life and a full-time job either. The benefits to the organisation are that I can apply everything I learned in my study, to my day-to-day role, and share my new knowledge and skills with others, and I feel happier and more fulfilled at work because of my achievements.
I am hugely grateful to the organisation and the Learning & Development team for giving me this opportunity. This Apprenticeship opened the door to a new job role for me, the skills and knowledge I gained from doing a Higher Apprenticeship, helped me to move into my current role as a Learning and Development Specialist, managing the levy pot and promoting and marketing Apprenticeships internally are now part of my day-to-day role, which I love!
I would recommend the Apprenticeship route to anyone who wants to gain further qualifications later in life – it’s never too late to achieve your dreams.”
