Mercuri International are taking part in National Apprenticeship Week by celebrating a number of our past and present apprentices for our ‘5 Days of Excellence’. We are celebrating all of the hard work our learners have put into their apprenticeship and all of their success so far.
National Apprenticeship Week 2023 is the 16th annual week-long celebration of apprenticeships.
The week brings together businesses and apprentices across the country to shine a light on the positive impact that apprenticeships make to individuals, businesses and the wider economy.
Lois Martin, Contracts Manager at Leicester City Council is currently undertaking the Level 5 Operations Manager Apprenticeship. Lois spoke to us about how she is finding her apprenticeship and the support she has received so far.
“I am a Contract Manager at Leicester City Council currently doing the Operations/Departmental Manager Level 5 CMI Diploma/Standard. I am really enjoying this apprenticeship and finding it rewarding, I feel that my work is already benefitting from my learning as I am able to put things into practice as I learn them. I started this apprenticeship in June 2022 and have now completed 2 assignments fully and am part way through my third. According to the tracker on bud I am about a third of the way through! I am receiving great support from my line manager Abigail who has not only provided flexibly but has also been a great sounding board for me to discuss my learning and ideas with, she has shown a real interest in my learning and has taken her commitment to this apprenticeship seriously. I have been able to share ideas and seek support from fellow apprentices within LCC during our taught sessions and within teams chats which has been helpful and enabled me to stay focused.
My learning and development coach from Mercuri, Amanda has been a great learning tool, she has been very approachable not only during our set meetings but also when I have had ad-hock questions and queries. Amanda has been able to help me identify how certain management approaches and techniques related to my work. Our review meetings are focused and I always come out of them feeling confident and motivated.
This apprenticeship so far has not only enabled me to learn new ways of working but has also helped me approach situations and tasks with more knowledge and confidence.”
“I am excited to see what else I will learn and how this experience will support my career development!”
Lois has embraced her apprenticeship from the very start and is loving the blended learning styles such as 121’s, group sessions, remote, face to face, and self-study, using various platforms ,including our own BUD bespoke site. Lois continues to apply the new theories, models and principles learned into her everyday activities at Leicester City Council and constantly informs her Manager on new learning that she feels the team as a whole would benefit from. As Lois is in a cohort of Operational Manager L5 learners who enrolled at the same time onto the apprenticeship within the Council, Lois took it upon herself to set up a Teams chat. So that they could all share best practice and support each other as Apprentices. Lois is a shining example of how an apprenticeship qualification really can make a difference from the start of their journey, not just for the learner but for the organisation as well. Lois meets all deadlines, never misses a visit and is supported 100% by her manager Abigail Kearley, who sees the potential of Lois and how this Apprenticeship is allowing Lois to realise her own potential too.
Amanda Mort, Learning and Development Coach, Mercuri International
“Lois has had an excellent start to her apprenticeship. She is utilising the time for off the job training well and is already finding ways to bring this learning into her work.”
Abigail Kearley, Senior Project Manager, Leicester City Council
Skills For Life
The theme for National Apprenticeship Week 2023 is “Skills for Life”; reflecting on how apprenticeships can help individuals to develop the skills and knowledge required for a rewarding career, and businesses to develop a talented workforce that is equipped with future-ready skills.
