Over the last few years OPDC has taken part in the Greater London Authority's Apprenticeship programme. Our most recent Apprentice, Iqra, who is now almost at the end of the year has shared her thoughts and experiences of the scheme and working life.
My experience as an Advanced Apprentice in the OPDC team
I chose an apprenticeship because the idea of following the norm and the traditional route to University after Sixth Form didn't really appeal to me. I wanted to experience working full-time in a corporate environment and gain invaluable hands-on experience, while I studied for a qualification. The idea of ‘earning while learning’ also really appealed to me and has already taught me how to be wise financially!
Being an apprentice at the Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation (OPDC) has allowed me to get involved in a variety of different projects. As OPDC is one of Europe’s largest regeneration projects, the scale and scope of work we’re doing is very fast-paced and intriguing. As a result, I’ve been able to take advantage and gain as much experience and skills as I can to help me develop.
Throughout the year I’ve taken-up opportunities to challenge myself and I've stepped outside of my comfort zone. The tasks I’ve undertaken have included:
- chairing meetings with senior stakeholders
- managing my own projects
- organising events for businesses
- working on the internal and external communications activities for OPDC
The qualification aspect of the apprenticeship consists of training sessions and coursework. The training sessions are planned for the year and are very well delivered. I have been able to implement what I’ve learned into my day-to-day duties. Completing coursework by the deadlines and effectively managing a job can be tricky at times, however, as time went on and with my line managers' support, I found ways to manage my time much better.
One of the highlights of this year was learning about the life-cycle of project management. I never thought project management would appeal to me until I was given a project to manage. I was able to work collaboratively with experienced colleagues from the OPDC team to reach a common objective and pick up new project management skills with every task.
As my placement is coming to an end now, I've had to start thinking about next steps. I am excited to share that I've secured a Higher Apprenticeship in Project Management with the Marketing Team at the Greater London Authority. I am grateful that I will have the opportunity to project manage Marketing Campaigns for the Mayor of London and hopefully this experience will open doors for me within the Marketing industry.
An apprenticeship can give you real insight on the various career opportunities out there. So, if you’re considering applying for an apprenticeship, I’d advise you to take on the challenge and go for it!