Rating

7.3/10
  • 1. Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:
  • Initially I was being trained on the training line, with the other apprentices, for the first weeks of my apprenticeship. I was primarily trained as a stitcher as I had some natural ability in stitching. Once fully trained I worked as part of a production line in the factory, alongside around 30 other craftspeople, completing one stitching job with in the line. This could be stitching bag straps or stitching on the internal pockets. As an apprentice I was also trained in other jobs roles such as inking, finishing, prepping and cutting roles. By the end of my year long apprenticeship I was able to complete most job roles, I was a multi skilled crafts person, unlike the majority of other craftspeople on the production lines. Because of the variety of skills I gained the jobs I would do on the production line would vary from day to day, for example I may move from a cutting role in the morning to a prepping role in the afternoon. This would depend on the needs of the production line, I would work where my supervisor asked me to, and this would help our line hit our daily and weekly bag production targets. 1 morning a week the apprentices would leave the factory and go to college. Occasionally there were visits/trips for the apprentices outside of the factory, for example we visited a tannery in Bristol.

    7/10

  • 2. Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
  • Yes, I learnt a whole range of skills. By the end of my year long apprenticeship I was an accomplished stitcher who could complete most stitching jobs for several different types of bag. But I also gained skills in cutting, inking, prepping and finishing roles and this meant I could complete most jobs on the production line. I would say by the end of my apprenticeship, having worked on a variety of different bags, I would have been able to make a bag from start to finish perhaps only having to be shown/reminded of some steps. I also learnt and developed skills needed in working life such as communication, forming good working relationships, maintaining punctuality and learning to deal with the tiredness and general hard work of working life! For me this was very valuable experience (this was my first full time job) as no school or college prepares you for the longer days of working life. Just learning to keep working and keep focused to get a job done when you’re feeling tired is very valuable experience!

    9/10

  • 3. To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
  • I really enjoyed working at Mulberry and being an apprentice. I enjoyed the first 6 months as this was when I was still learning a big variety of jobs, from stitching to inking. But also at this time I was found forming working relationships very difficult, I struggled to fit in with my colleagues as well as the other apprentices did, I found this worrying but I was well supported by my supervisor and the training coordinator. The second half of my apprenticeship (last 6 months) I found the work I didn’t enjoy so much it began to become monotonous at times when I was working on the same job on the production line for weeks. I found this sometimes fustrating as I felt there was so much more to learn but not always the opportunity to move on the production line to learn a different job. I struggled at this point to see that I had much of a future working at Mulberry as I couldn’t see a job role/position I really felt I would enjoy and could aim to progress to. I felt even if I aimed to get off the factory floor (for example work a someone planning the production process etc.) this would’ve taken me a long time and so I felt it right to progress on to another apprenticeship (a level 3 shoemaking apprenticeship) once I had completed the year long apprenticeship at Mulberry. However the second half of my apprenticeship I really settled in well and formed good working relationships which was a relief and also nice (but made me sad to leave in the end)!

    7/10

  • 4. How valued do you feel by Mulberry?
  • I felt valued at Mulberry by all my colleagues including the other apprentices, my fellow craftspeople on my production line, my supervisor and the training coordinator (who looked after all the apprentices). I felt valued by the other apprentices because we were all in the same boat and it was nice to have that bond we formed. The other craftspeople on my line valued me because as an apprentice they all new I was paid less than them and worked as hard to help the line reach target, I felt respected by them. Similarly I think my supervisor valued me because he was always encouraging me to learn other jobs and become as skilled as possible and in general I felt I had a really good working relationship with my supervisor. The training coordinator was also really encouraging and even when I was upset or stressed really took the time to make sure I was ok. I felt well looked after my by colleagues at Mulberry and generally I felt Mulberry was proud of it’s apprentices and liked to show them off!

    9/10

  • 5. How well organised/structured is your programme?
  • The programme was quite well structured. At the begining of the apprenticeship there was a whole week set aside for the apprentices to all get to know each other and some other craftspeople, complete team building tasks and learn a little about how bags are made before we went on to the factory floor. Then we spent a few weeks on the training line where we had scheduled amounts of time to learn different jobs. However I felt once we left the training line and entered the production lines there was significantly less structure to the programme. At this point I felt it was more free for each apprentice to focus on getting what they want out of the apprenticeship. For me this was learning as many different job roles as possible to become a skilled craftsperson and a valuable employee. This meant I had to make sure I kept asking and making it known to my supervisor and colleagues that I was always looking to gain skills, with my supportive colleagues and by being proactive in seeking opportunities to learn more I feel this worked well for me (having less structure). However I think for the other apprentices who perhaps weren’t as proactive and didn’t always have such supportive craftspeople on their production lines having less structure to the programme was unhelpful for them. They were more likely to spend weeks doing exactly the same job on their line and so didn’t gained as many skills as myself.

    6/10

  • 6a. How much support do you receive from your training provider?
  • Bridgwater & Taunton College were quite supportive throughout my apprenticeship at Mulberry. I think I would’ve been more helpful and supportive to myself and the other apprentices if we were able to spend more time with the college. For example instead of spending just 1 morning a week at college if we could spend a whole day at college or go to college for 1 week at a time (perhaps 1 week per month). This way we would’ve been more productive in completing our college work as with only 1 morning (2 1/2 hours) we would just be getting in to the task and then it’d be time to go back to work! This was fustrating. However the college were very supportive to me personally as they mentioned when an apprentice came up that I was was interested in. I had previously made a pair of shoes and when a shoemaking apprenticeship came up I was pointed in the right direction to progress on to the level 3 shoemaking apprenticeship which I am now completing. This support to transition to a new employer and continue with a level 3 apprenticeship was invaluable and it wasn’t something I wanted discuss with my employer at the time (Mulberry).

    8/10

  • 6b. How much support do you receive from your employer?
  • Mulberry were supportive, particularly at the begining of the apprenticeship when I had monthly reviews where I discussed my progress with the training coordinator and received feedback from my supervisor. I found these reviews very helpful and encouraging as I could bring up any worries I had about forming good working relationships and I used the reviews as an opportunity to make it known I had ambitions to learn as much as possible during my apprenticeship. However towards the end of the apprenticeship I didn’t have a monthly review every month (it was more like every 3 months). I missed not having the reviews as it meant if I had any concerns etc. I had to make time/ go out of my way too make them known but also I missed the encouragement that I was doing things right and I wasn’t so sure that everyone (my supervisor etc.) was happy with my progress. I would’ve found it useful to continue to have this regular feedbac and opportunity to discuss how I thought things were going.

    6/10

  • 7. How well does your salary/package meet your costs?
  • I was paid £5.66 per hour plus £0.36 bonus. The pay wasn’t good but also wasn’t bad for an apprenticeship (I understand it could’ve been a lot worse!). The main thing I found unfair was only being paided half bonus (other craftspeople were paid £0.75 bonus) because although I was an apprentice this didn’t mean I was working any less hard than my colleagues and towards the end of my apprenticeship I had become a vital part of the production line and my multi skilled abilities were contributing to our ability to hit target. Therefore I felt I deserved to receive the same bonus when our line hit target. Also the pay was fine for me as I was living at home for free, otherwise it wouldn’t have been enough to live on, especially as I had a car to maintain and I was commuting 18 miles to and from work each day.

    7/10

  • 8. Are there many opportunities outside of work?
  • Yes Mulberry does look after it’s employees well. There are two parties a year, a summer party and a Christmas party, with entertainment and free drinks (Mulberry know how to party!). There also always social events happening, such as quiz nights. Outside of work the production lines often organise birthday get together and Christmas meals so once you’re part of a production line it’s good to go to these events and get to know your colleagues better.

    7/10

  • 9. Would you recommend Mulberry to a friend?
  • Yes


  • 9b. Why?
  • Generally I enjoyed the experience of working at Mulberry, I met some great people and learnt a lot of skills which have enabled me to get another apprenticeship which is even better suited to me. I felt well supported and knew the office door was always open if I needed someone to chat to. Being apart of a team of apprentices was really nice, it’s great to know you’re not the only new one! Although in the end work became less enjoyable and I chose to move on I certainly wouldn’t be where I am now without the skills I gained and developed during my year at Mulberry.


  • 10. What tips or advice would you give to others applying to Mulberry?
  • If the apprenticeship seems right for you then go for it! Grab the opportunity and make the most of it by learning as many skills as possible, becoming skilled makes you a very valuable employee. But be prepared for working life, it’s not always easy and the early mornings are tiring. Also don’t be afraid to get to know your colleagues, it might take time but you’ll find a few who you click with and sometimes that’s the key to getting through a difficult day! Do it and enjoy it, if it ends up it’s not for you you will still have gained skills and met some great people.


Details

Level 2 Apprenticeship

South West

May 2018


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