Here, our Data Technician Apprentice, Matthew tells us how he is enjoying his apprenticeship, updates us on his progression so far and shares how he feels valued and supported by his team.
'My experience being an apprentice at Open Awards has marked a significant shift from my previous routine. Following my departure from High School on June 16th, 2023, immediately after completing my Physics exam, I applied for a role with Open Awards. In early August, I was presented with an interview, in which I thankfully succeeded, and was provided with a start date of September 4th, 2023.
This change catapulted me from the familiar 30 hours of weekly school commitments surrounded by peers of similar ages – as it has been for the past 11 years of my life – to a dynamic workplace with a mix of individuals in terms of both age and culture.
Initially, this seemingly daunting shift was quickly dispelled by Open Awards, with everyone extending a warm welcome. Being able to delve into the subject I inspired to pursue as a career (Data), I found myself surrounded by a supportive team that provided guidance and encouragement and I was enjoying what I did each day.
Currently, being five months into my journey, there have been some challenges but I have overcome them with the support of my manager and team and I currently stand at 42% progress in the apprenticeship portal - that's more than twice ahead of the expected target for an apprentice in this role at this stage! It’s great to see how each team at Open Awards has recognised the significance of the data reports I generate and they actively support me each day and celebrate my wins alongside me.
I look forward to continuing to develop both myself and the team of people I work with, developing new solutions for the business, and updating and adding to processes at Open Awards.'
We love working with Matthew and are very excited to see how he continues to develop whilst completing his apprenticeship. We'll keep you posted on his progression and future plans. He is certainly one to watch!