Marketing Assistant Review

As an apprentice I worked in the main office, answering phones, ordering certificates, creating resources for workshops, minute taking.

Before my apprenticeship I was quite shy and reserved. I hated talking on the phone, I always felt like everyone was listening. Now I am confident within my job role and feel like I have progressed so much. When I finished my level 2 qualification I then went on to do my level 3 straight away. I really liked the fact everything covered in my apprenticeship was covered in my job role, and I now work in the Head Office of my Training Provider.

I really loved my apprenticeship. To begin with I was hesitant to even consider an apprenticeship because of the wages, but realising I could be on a low wage for a year and then continue on to develop a career or have lots of different part time high paid jobs that I couldn't rely on was the turning point. I have experience in areas that was once completely new to me and work with fantastic colleagues.

A few weeks in to my apprenticeship I was offered to work at head office once a week to work on different projects, so I had more responsibility. A short time after that I was offered a full time role as an Administration Assistant. Any work I do is recognised and It means a lot to me to be able to say 'I did that'. Within the company I have received certificates and awards for the work I have done well.

Very well structured. My meetings with assessors were always liaised with before hand with my manager. Everything was explained to me right at the beginning of my apprenticeship and recapped throughout.

Aspire Training Team are faultless. My assessor was always on hand to help whenever I needed it, I know that if I emailed a question it would be answered in the same day. Everyone from Aspire are there to help - Whether it was my assessor or another someone was always at the end of the phone to give advice.

My employer was fantastic throughout my level 2 in Business Admin. Although I was employed as an administration assistant prior to actually completing my apprenticeship, they understood that I was still in training and gave me the same opportunities as any other apprentice.

After moving to head office it meant I was also having further to travel, spending £63 out of £95 a week on train fare just to get to work. I heavily depended on family members for everything so I was able to spend whatever I had left on driving lessons, living in the middle of the countryside with no transport apart from other people was a nightmare. As I was promoted early on it didn't affect me that much, but the wages were a main deterrent for me, an apprenticeship was a 'last resort' because I wanted to move out and start driving lessons and I thought I would never achieve that on an apprenticeship wage... but 100% there is no way I would have my car, house or the career I have now if it wasn't for my apprenticeship.

Each year the company holds an annual awards night in recognition of all the hard work staff do without the year. We also have team nights out in a variety of locations and have taken part in many charity fun runs together.

Yes

You have nothing to lose. Without taking a chance with an apprenticeship you never know what opportunities are out there for you. I started my apprenticeship working in an office for a training provider studying a level 2 BA apprenticeship, I am now a Marketing Assistant, a field of work I never even knew existed but now love, working in an ever-expanding company that opens up new opportunities every day. You never know what you can do unless you try!

Be honest, be yourself, and don't stress yourself out - the assessors are there to help, it wont all be on you to arrange everything.