Secretarial apprentice Review

As a secretarial apprentice I take on varied roles around the office ranging from dealing with incoming/outgoing post to organising our four stationary areas. I also manage our tuckshop which includes restocking and dealing with the financial side. My job role means that I have to use a mix of software regularly including Taskstream, Contact Router and TickIt; these apps either assist me with my daily jobs or I assist others with tasks, such as forming meeting packs or creating badges for seminars.

As I am a secondary school leaver this has been my first full time job and comes very different to doing Saturday jobs or summer part time work! Due to this I have definitely learnt a lot of new skills! I believe it has helped to build my confidence and multi-tasking skills; as well as showing me how to work better in a team, and help develop my verbal/written communication. This role has also helped to improve my computer skills as I start to use a wider range of apps/ software.

I am thoroughly enjoying the program so far for various reason, in particular the team I work with are very supportive and always fun to be around. As well as this I find the work I do interesting and can already see how the skills I have learnt/ developed have benefited me personally.

My programme has clear structure, as well considering not only am I the youngest ever at Barnett Waddingham but also I am the first ever secretarial apprentice. Although my work each day is varied I believe it is clear to me what I should be doing and where I need to be progressing. My college however comes across differnet as there has been some complications with my personal assessor with regards to meeting times/dates in the past which can be complicated.

The support I have had since starting has been overwhelming to say the least! My team and those who I come in contact with have been a massive help in getting me settled in and feeling comfortable. I have a great team that are always willing to answer my questions and help me to understand anything I have difficulties with.

So far I believe my training provider have been moderately okay. Reason being I like the fact they have software that I can use that explains what I need to be doing to keep on track with my 18 month time scale, it also gives me tasks that I can complete with demonstration questions/ examples to work from to steer me in the correct direction. However, I think the college/ assessor personally have been difficult at times as have left me with short time notice/ changing times/date numerous times making things complicated not just for me but also my team.

I believe that it has benefitted me as the knowledge I have gained through my course so far has helped me to understand the business environment more. It has also helped me think about how I want to be portrayed personally and taught me skills that I can use in my daily tasks.

There are many different activities varying from running groups to Quiz-A-Oke (Quiz/Karaoke) nights. I attended one of the Quiz-A-Oke nights which helped me meet new people from around the office as well as having team bonding. The secretaries also went on an away day which included an eventful night away and some training the following day to help us connect with co-workers in other offices. There are also many other activities which I am yet to branch out into.

Yes

The staff at Barnett Waddingham have been extremely welcoming and always friendly, they have helped me to settle in and feel comfortable. The atmosphere throughout the company is positive and relaxed, everyone is always happy to help where they can which is really eye- opening to see

I would say to always be yourself and be confident, never be afraid to ask for help as everyone is always happy/ willing to do what they can. Don’t be afraid to talk about your personal skills/ experiences as Barnett Waddingham look for new skills and personalities to help evolve the company.