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Posted on: 6 February 2023
Author: Holly Rogers
Corbel are long-standing supporters of the Governments Apprenticeship Scheme and being an IT support provider, we have a real appreciation for employees who have a passion and interest for all things technology and IT. We are keen to continue to develop the next generation of talent within the developing tech industry in the local Suffolk area. The power of apprenticeships should not be underestimated, they create an opportunity for young people to gain hands on experience in the workplace whilst gaining a qualification.
A common question around apprenticeships is around how you can balance full-time work around a qualification. We are here to provide you with some to simple tips to help you with balancing your time as an apprentice:
- Focus on organisation –
Have a look at your working hours and your average tasks for the day and consider how long they take you to complete. Then use a time blocking technique to block these into your day. Not only will this help you to visually see what’s on during your day but it will also prevent you from getting overwhelmed as your to do list is now physically on the screen/bit of paper as opposed to in your head!
- Make the most of your allocated study time –
Here at Corbel, our apprentices get a dedicated afternoon a week to complete apprenticeship work and where the calendar allows, extra time during the week when needed. Employers are required to provide apprentices with a set amount of time a week to focus on their apprenticeship work. This block of time allocated to you is the perfect opportunity for you to get caught up on your apprenticeship work and get one step closer to achieving your qualification!
- Always ask questions –
You should never be afraid to ask questions! Asking questions is ultimately going to help you gain knowledge and progress within your role. Asking questions can help you save you time and prevent you from getting caught up in things for too long. Knowledge is power and as an apprentice learning new things is at the core of what you do!
Here at Corbel we are dedicated to recruiting passionate, motivated young people and currently have 2 apprentices on team – Cameron and Caitlin, alongside Rhys who recently passed his level 3 apprenticeship!
To celebrate National Apprenticeship week 2023, with this year’s theme being ‘skills for life’, we decided to ask our lovely 2 apprentices a few questions about them, what their role involves and the skills they’ve learnt to highlight what the apprentice life looks like to them…
Cameron Saunders – Apprentice Technical Support Engineer
Joining the Corbel team in April 2021, Cameron works on the IT helpdesk completing a range of level 1 tickets.
1. What is your role at Corbel?
I am an Apprentice Technical Support Engineer here at Corbel and have worked here for coming up to two years. My role is really varied and I help to complete level 1 tickets on the helpdesk which can range from password resets to diagnosing problems in a network. I’m also given the opportunity to get involved and help out with some of the more advanced technical problems. I am now coming to the end of my Level 3 infrastructure Engineer apprenticeship and am looking forward to advancing with my learning and in my role in the future.
2. How did you get into your role?
I’ve always had an interest in IT, and it’s been a hobby of mine since I was really young, so when I heard about this opportunity through a friend, I thought I would take a shot! I’ve really enjoyed working in the role of Helpdesk within IT as I always feel a sense of achievement when I’ve helped resolve an issue for customers and I enjoy developing these good customer relations.
3. How do you manage to balance your time whilst doing an apprenticeship?
With an allocated afternoon every week to work on my apprenticeship within work hours and a couple of full days where the calendar allows, I’ve been able to have sufficient time to focus on my coursework at work.
4. What are two things you’ve learnt about yourself since working at Corbel?
I’ve leant that there is never a “silly” question and that asking questions will only help me to learn and progress. With everyone’s different levels of knowledge, there’s always a chance to develop my learning and skills and get involved in more advanced technical issues. If I ever have an input to a conversation, I will try to put it forward and it is always taken on board and further discussions will be had with your input implemented.
5. What do you hope your future looks like at Corbel?
After I finish my Level 3 infrastructure Engineer apprenticeship, I hope to advance to the Level 4 course in Cyber Security. I also would like to expand my knowledge in the future on Microsoft Azure, I am planning on doing various courses to help support this. As my knowledge progresses, it would be great to get involved in some of the bigger projects going on within Corbel and I would like to be able to progress within the business.
Caitlin Owen – Apprentice Technical Support Engineer
Joining the team in December 2022, Caitlin has been getting involved with various tasks with the technical team, including pre-configuring Laptops and PC’s.
1. What is your role at Corbel?
I am an Apprentice Technical Support Engineer. So far, my role has been really varied from processing orders, pre-configuring PC’s and laptops and getting involved/shadowing tickets with the technical team. I’ve really enjoyed the variety of my role so far and am looking forward to getting involved with larger projects in the future.
2. How did you get into your role?
After finishing my A-levels in June 2022, I was torn between the decision of going to university or going into full time work. But after a family friend made me aware of an apprenticeship role at Corbel it felt like the best of both worlds! I really like that with my apprenticeship I am able to both get the experience of working full time whilst also gaining a qualification.
3. How do you manage to balance your time whilst doing an apprenticeship?
Doing an apprenticeship has really helped to develop my time management skills. In order to make sure I keep on top of everything, I like to time block and section my day out in terms of what I have booked and to identify where I have any gaps of time in my week to work on my apprenticeship work. I am also giving a whole afternoon a week where I can solely focus on my apprenticeship work, and this has been of real benefit to me so far.
4. What are two things you’ve learnt about yourself since working at Corbel?
Since working at Corbel, I’ve learnt to trust myself more, especially when it comes to the technical sides of things. The team has really encouraged me to get involved and it’s made me realise that I am capable of more than I realise. I’ve also learnt that pushing myself is the best way to improve my confidence, embarking on this apprenticeship was a step out of my comfort zone and has really helped me to develop my confidence.
5. What do you hope your future looks like at Corbel?
I am super excited for my future at Corbel, and I look forward to seeing how it unfolds. I am hoping to continue to develop my knowledge and build the key skills to start getting involved more and more over on the technical side.
Apprenticeship Celebration Event – National Apprenticeship Week 2023
On Friday the 10th of February, a few members of the Corbel team, including Tech Apprentice Caitlin Owen, headed down to Trinity Park to get involved with the Apprenticeship Celebration Event organised by the Apprenticeships in Suffolk team in order to mark National Apprenticeship Week 2023! The event was a celebration of current apprentices alongside those looking to become an apprentice, and it was great to see so many local employers and training providers, and schools and colleges attend to all support the government scheme.
With a series of workshops and talks throughout the day, it was a great opportunity for team Corbel to understand a little bit more about just how much of a positive impact apprenticeships can have on not only young people looking to start their career, but also those who are looking to go down a different career path.
Caitlin Owen – BBC Radio Suffolk
As a part of the Apprenticeship Celebration event, our very own Caitlin Owen spoke on BBC Radio Suffolk on all things apprenticeships. From navigating and finding her feet within the industry, to stepping out of her comfort zone and finding newfound confidence, Caitlin summed up wonderfully in this interview what life is like as an apprentice at Corbel, and where she hopes to be in the future. The team couldn’t be prouder of Caitlin for sharing her story.
Karen Rogers, Managing Director believes “apprenticeships are a valuable tool for businesses looking to invest in their workforce, they provide a unique opportunity for businesses to shape their workers into the skilled professionals they need to succeed and here at Corbel, we really value the range of talent our apprentices bring to the team”
If you’re within the Suffolk area and are interested in an apprenticeship at Corbel, or would like to find out a little bit more about our team, take a look at our story.
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