My Apprenticeship so far…
When I started my apprenticeship role at PDW Group as a Business Support Assistant the term ‘blog’ came into discussion a few weeks after starting, so my line manager and other colleagues suggested I write one…
At first it seemed like a great idea, seeming as I’ve never written one before, but when it came to me sitting at my desk with a notebook, pen and a cup of tea, that’s where the realisation of panic and any sort of vocabulary quickly left my mind… and I was already wanting to give up before I even began…
I have been here at PDW for over 2 months now, I have already learnt more than I ever expected. In the first two weeks, I was in and out of meetings and experienced various bits of training which left my brain feeling a bit like scrambled eggs, but I still felt confident. Now as weeks have gone by, my confidence has grown in areas that I wasn’t so confident in and my ability to do work with little help from others has certainly improved. The team have all coached me and supported me so much in the last two months, that it gives me unlimited amounts of positives to think about when I walk through the office door.
One of the highlights of my first two months is having the opportunity to observe a workshop in action. From sitting in this 2-day workshop, I learnt a lot about myself and was able to take a few things away from the workshop.
It allowed me to witness and fully understand how each section of the workshop is run in order to really maximise what the delegates learn and take away from the experience.
I found the lead Facilitator (Jo Mousley) very inspirational and motivational with the way she presented each part of the day. She got to the point when she needed to, and allowed all the delegates to get involved and discuss at various points of the day. I thought that this was very effective, as it allowed the delegates to think about various situations within their business. It allowed them all to talk on a level where they could understand each other’s needs and wants and how they could discuss these with other people within their business.
I also found the Support Consultants very genuine and inspirational. A Support Consultant is a coach and actor who works with the delegates in their practise sessions throughout the workshop. I sat in the Behavioural Styles section of the first day which allowed me to get a clearer understanding about how each behavioural style can be seen and how others may perceive them within other people. After watching the support consultant’s act out the behavioural styles with the ‘extreme’ cases, I became aware of the kinds of people we could deal with at work, or in day to day life.
Being able to observe this workshop really gave me an insight into how the planning that I do as part of my role pays off, as well as how the Lead Facilitator and Support Consultants work within the workshop itself. It has also allowed me to experience what it’s like to be a delegate and understand how they are feeling during a workshop. Sometimes, we were put on the spot in the workshop, particularly in an exercise where were had to ask each other open questions. I had to think on my feet and I felt under some pressure as the others were waiting to see what I was going to ask to help them prepare for their turn.
Being an apprentice feels great! I am treated like an adult, I have developed new skills, I have learnt everyone’s hot drink orders off by heart…. And I get paid! It is the best feeling ever when I get paid at the end of the month but then I do wonder where all my money has gone 3 weeks later! I sit there and think to myself whilst looking at Online Banking “ahhh, that’s where it all went” but it all contributed to a good cause… keeping me out of the house on a Saturday afternoon.
On a serious note, working at PDW has really stretched me to my limits, and pushed me to leave my comfort zone and finding an inner me that I didn’t know I had.
I believe I made the right and best decision for me!