Meet Isabelle, one of our business administration apprentices

What inspired you to choose this specific apprenticeship program?

I started a hairdressing apprenticeship right after college which was the plan for a very long time. It wasn’t till after only 5 months of hairdressing I realised I enjoyed it more as a hobby and experiencing it in a career aspect really took the fun out of it for me. I  enjoyed the apprenticeship approach of ‘working whilst training’ with hairdressing but realised I wanted something more secure and versatile and so I thought a business administration apprenticeship would be perfect. My apprenticeship is a 15-month course which is very ideal because you learn more in a smaller amount of time.

How did you first learn about this career path, and what attracted you to it?

I learnt about this career path through Peta which is an apprenticeship training centre. This career path attracted me because I believe a business admin apprenticeship is a good start into a career and helps you to get your foot into the door by learning basic career skills. This is because you get to receive structured training whilst gaining valuable workplace experience. It’s always a bonus knowing your getting paid for it too!

What skills or interests did you have that made you feel this career path was the right fit?

Before working at Global Marine, I had a part time job as a Recreation assistant whilst I was at college. My experience as a lifeguard proved that I consistently needed to be concentrated which has now led me to have an eye for detail which I believe is really fitting for this job role, especially when chasing suppliers for purchase orders. I also working in hairdressing, this gave me the experience to develop my communication skills, teamworking skills and customer service skills which had all mixed and become really useful into my apprenticeship right now.

What does a typical day in the life of a Business Admin Apprentice involve at Global Marine Group?

A typical day in the life for me as a business apprentice would be anything between writing up meeting minutes to chasing suppliers to ensure purchase orders are on track to meet their expected delivery dates. Also, in between this I would be around to support any help needed in the office, but I could also be observing my mentor in quieter times to ensure I’m learning new things weekly, so I am consistently progressing.

What do you love most about your role at Global Marine Group?

Whilst I was searching for a company to carry out my business admin apprenticeship, Global Marine Group came up and I applied straight away. The job description and the ‘pro’s’ included exceeded expectations when I started working here in May. It has a very friendly, welcoming vibe and the people here make the days even more enjoyable and makes you really appreciate being able to work here. My job role is also versatile and so you never catch yourself having the same repetitive days.

What advice would you give someone who would want to pursue a career in Business Admin?

If you are someone who isn’t afraid to get stuck in and enjoys working with your hands and problem solving then I would highly recommend pursuing a job in marine engineering.

How do you see this apprenticeship helping you grow personally and professionally?

I believe that this apprenticeship is already helping me to grow my own personal confidence. Having to communicate with a supplier for the first time over the phone was a little bit overwhelming. However, after continuous calls and weekly meetings I can now say it doesn’t consume me and I can now just do it without thinking about it! This has also helped to improve my communication skills over the past few months. I also had a ‘Quality and professionalism’ training day at Peta which had a big impact on how I work now. This includes anything between code of conduct to the right use on communication- Overall receiving the knowledge is helping me to grow on my own personal and professional skills.

Was there any particular advice or research that helped your choice in pursuing this apprenticeship?

When I first started researching for a job, I was unsure what path to go down and so I turned to Peta for advice. This is that they could provide training whilst I was able to continue with hands-on experience and there will be continuous support whilst doing so. I also turned to some friends on mine that are currently pursuing the same course but are however ahead of me. They were all happy that they chose this path and that its been a positive experience for them and a good start into there careers ahead.