Apprentice Business Administrator Review

For the past year I have worked as a business administrator apprentice in the Knowledge Exchange and Impact Team at the University of Oxford. My work mainly covers Enterprising Oxford, a University of Oxford initiative to connect and support entrepreneurial activities. Importantly it isn’t just university students – we work across Oxfordshire to support any entrepreneurs, startups and spin-outs. Day to Day I help to support the actions of RS-KEIT in promoting initiatives around the innovation space. This involves working with external organisations like OxLEP (Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership), and attending high profile conferences like VentureFest or the Oxford global artificial intelligence conference. Another large part of my job is communication. I work with colleagues across different Oxford colleges and the rest of the University on research impact and knowledge exchange

The experiences I have gained whilst at KEIT have been unquestionable in their impact. I have been involved in and organised high level events, networked with regional leaders and supported initiatives that have made incredible impact globally. My professionalism, networking and project management skills have been developed to a point I feel comfortable walking into any workspace, knowing the right questions to ask and tasks to complete in order to get the job done. My knowledge of web based marketing platforms such as hootsuite and mailchimp have grown from nothing to complete confidence when using these tools to provide content management for the Enterprising Oxford initiative. My public speaking and networking ability has grown a lot, my job involves and lot of face to face meetings and large scale events. In which I have to maintain a professional persona and talk clearly about projects, programmes and initiatives

I really enjoy all aspects of my work. When most people think of business admin apprenticeships, you imagine it’s all going to be filing, photocopying and making coffees but in reality, on a daily basis I’m helping to connect people and opportunities, and working with entrepreneurs and research not just in the University, but across Oxfordshire as a whole.

I found the support and structure of the programme very well maintained. I have regular meetings with training providers to ensure that my work is too the highest of standards and on track with the course of the programme. The support within my role has always been fantastic. Helping me to grow, evolve and better understand my role and what is required of me.

I’ve got my line manager, my head of team and apprenticeships manager who are all absolutely fantastic. I’m due to sit down with them in a little while so we can talk next steps. I’m lucky in that way; support in some apprenticeships can be lousy which is a very gutting experience. Support across the board is utterly crucial. Luckily for me, Oxford University is voted as one of the best apprenticeship providers out there. It’s always a good move to ask about what support your employer will give you for the next steps before the apprenticeship is over, the earlier on the better. Don’t be afraid to have that conversation, as the right planning can make such a drastic difference to your future.

Plenty, as previously mentioned i have regular meetings and loads of online support when it comes to the work needed for my qualification. My final assessment is currently in its final stages and will be submitted by the end of this week. My assessors have helped me to develop these pieces of work through drafts and edits.

The qualification gives me clear steps that help me to better plan out and think about how to develop certain skills, outside of a specific projects needs. this means i gain more overall transferable skills that can be applied to projects both within and outside of my specific role. better setting me up for the future

I attend a high number of ambassador events in which I help the university to communicate the benefits of apprenticeships and how young people can get involved in propelling their career. I am also a member of a number of committees outside of work that help to recognise, reward and assist young inspirational people in the local area.

Yes

Experience is everything! Don’t listen to people who say you’re missing out on opportunities and prospects by not going to University. By completing an apprenticeship you will develop skills, connections and experiences you wouldn’t be able to at University.Anyone can rock up to a job interview with a piece of paper that shows they’ve applied themselves for 3 years. That’s great… but fewer people can say they’ve not only gained the knowledge but have also worked, organised and planned.

Research where you're applying. Get to know their work, values and high profile objectives. The more you understand an environment the deeper you can apply learning and create impact in order to get the very most out of your apprenticeship. Oh and dress to impress, young people often carry certain stereotypes that apprenticeships help to break down.