Rating

5.3/10
  • 1. Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:
  • I was an apprentice administrator for a statutory training service for professionals that work with children. My day-to-day duties involved booking delegates onto courses, communicating course details with delegates and processing their booking forms, inputting their details on our spreadsheet, generating invoices, collating income information, communicating with the course trainers and providing their resources, and booking venues.

    6/10

  • 2. Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
  • Microsoft Excel, telephone manner, customer service, invoicing, problem solving, minute taking, communicating professionally, formal letter and email writing, proofreading and setting up venues.

    7/10

  • 3. To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
  • The day to day experience was tedious and repetitive. Worse was the NVQ, which was so dull and inexplicable - there were times myself and colleagues were all sat around my computer with an answerable question trying to work out what it's talking about. I realised through this job how unhealthy desk jobs are, as I became unfit and gained weight. However, my colleagues happened to be amazing, inspiring people (most of whom weren't administrators) and I enjoyed working there for them.

    4/10

  • 4. How valued do you feel by Catch22?
  • How valued I felt depended on who I was working with. My line manager and most of my office colleagues treated me like an equal, so I felt very valued. However, the company extends far beyond this office. Elsewhere staff were very condescending towards me, avoiding talking to me and instead referring to me as "the apprentice" to whichever higher-up colleague I was with. On the two occasions I met the CEO, he was very nice and at least seemed to care. Other higher up staff were far more occupied with themselves even when myself/my colleagues were meant to be their focus (especially HR and Payroll). I was paid the minimum wage for my age group(s), but as I regularly saw our team budgets, I understood that there wasn't much room for better wages. Generally though, I never felt especially rewarded for my efforts.

    4/10

  • 5. How well organised/structured is your programme?
  • My NVQ was chaotically organise. They did not start me on my level 2 until 1 month after I should have, and they managed to be a whole 5 months late with my level 3! This meant that I kept working for the company after my contract finished on a zero hours basis until I finished the NVQ (however I got a better offer and left before I finished). During the apprenticeship I had three assessors, but I didn't know about the 3rd for 2 months after they joined. During this time I tried contacting the previous assessor several times, but the NVQ provider failed to communicate with me. Additionally, it would take months for them to send out qualification certificates even when they had them at the office.

    2/10

  • 6a. How much support do you receive from your training provider?
  • My assessors have been very patient, helpful and supportive whenever I've needed it (except the problem with the 3rd assessor described above). They were awesome people to know, and helped me finally pass my Functional Skills tests after many attempts. The overall provider were relatively unhelpful, but the assessors were very supportive.

    8/10

  • 6b. How much support do you receive from your employer?
  • My employer did not provide me with a learning disability assessment when I pleaded for it. Officially they do fund them, but often ignore requests. However, I did receive eye test/glasses vouchers, received in-house and external training when needed, and above average annual leave entitlement. My line manager was a good and sympathetic listener, who followed confidentiality requirements perfectly when meeting with me.

    7/10

  • 7. How well does your salary/package meet your costs?
  • I earned less than a student receiving the maximum loan entitlement. Coming from a low income and deprived background, I had to pay rent to my mother and the amount she needed was too great for me to live comfortably. This was despite not using a car or public transport. I could have earned more working at a supermarket full time, as many pay the higher end of the national minimum wage rather than the under 18/18 to 21 wage to my age group.

    3/10

  • 8. Are there many opportunities outside of work?
  • Free in-house and external training is frequently provided in first aid, health and safety, safeguarding, fire safety and other more specific courses like minute taking, advanced safeguarding, mentoring, mindfulness, various child and vulnerable adult protection courses and assertiveness. My office encouraged social gatherings after work and Christmas/birthday parties.

    7/10

  • 9. Would you recommend Catch22 to a friend?
  • No


  • 9b. Why?
  • Apprenticeships in the UK are far behind other countries, with the exception of some companies. I'd recommend going for one of the exceptional UK companies, or instead just staying in education (many vocational courses are far more practical than academic), and acquiring relevant work experience or internships. I do feel that my provider wasn't a good one, but the wider apprenticeship system makes it difficult for providers to improve generally.


  • 10. What tips or advice would you give to others applying to Catch22?
  • This company prioritises empathy, social awareness, open mindedness and adaptability. Showing these traits in addition to general workplace skills (professionalism, willingness to learn, basic computer skills, telephone manner, etc) will make you stand out. Be aware that the apprenticeship team is part of the same company, meaning assessors may be friends with your managers and not totally impartial.


Details

Level 3 Apprenticeship

South East

May 2017


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