After graduating university with a degree in Business Management, Secunda took on an internship at NSAR. She was soon offered a Project Management apprenticeship. “Getting a qualification and getting paid to do it is great. It would probably take me a long time to become a Project Manager if I was working a regular job. But with the apprenticeship, in four years I’ll be a Project Manager. And of course, I’m earning as well. It sounded like a good idea to me.”
As a flexi-job apprenticeship agency, NSAR employs apprentices like Secunda and places them with host organisations to receive on-the-job training. This gives apprentices the opportunity to experience different work environments and learn a diverse range of skills. Secunda says: “I think it’s a good idea to move around because you get experience from different companies and learn how they work. There’s always something new to learn. I like the change of environment, meeting new people and picking up new things.”
Secunda’s apprenticeship is structured around a five-day work week, with two days spent in her placement office, one day at the NSAR office and Thursdays dedicated to study. Her current placement is with a software company, where her daily tasks are varied. “I oversee the installation and updating of our application on clients’ work phones to ensure seamless functionality. Additionally, I manage a variety of tasks, including producing video content to highlight new features, gathering customer insights through our feedback form, and conducting video demonstrations to showcase our services to new clients.”
The style of work varies depending on the task, ranging from independent work to team collaboration. “It really depends. If we have meetings with the external developers, everyone is there. But if I am given a task, I just go off and do it on my own.”
Secunda emphasises the support she receives from her placement company and from NSAR. “I get good support from the people at the placement company. I think they’re very supportive if I don’t understand something. With NSAR, if I have any issues, I just talk to the HR Manager, who is always ready to help.”
Study consists of one module per term, with an assignment at the end. Secunda’s proactive approach to her studies ensures she stays on top of her workload. “I can handle it mostly within my study day. I do my work when I should, so it doesn’t pile up. We just started a new module and I have already started working on my assignment!”
For Secunda, the benefits of her apprenticeship are clear. “I’m getting the qualification and getting paid for it. Even my transportation is taken care of. I’m getting so much support. I think it’s really good how everything has been structured for me. There’s a good balance, working from home two days a week.”
She also appreciates the practical application of her academic learning. “With university, you are just learning the theory. With an apprenticeship, you are applying that in real life. You’re learning on the job and encountering real-life situations and projects. It’s not the same as going to lectures and getting taught about what happens – it’s actually experiencing it.”
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