Pioneer – An individual who opens up new areas of thought, research or development.
We recently welcomed our first ever apprentices into the family at Access, one in our Project Management team and the other in the Development team. We took some time to ask Lauren and Keenan how they had gone about becoming an apprentice, and more importantly, if they were enjoying themselves!
Why did you apply for an apprenticeship?
Lauren: When it came to applying for jobs, my first thought was to apply for as many as possible. For a few years now, I had known I wanted to follow a career within a creative industry, particularly surrounding marketing and social media. Little did I know that doing so would lead me to become a part of the ‘Creative Pioneers’ group.
Keenan: After a year of college I decided that I wanted hands on experience and to get involved in working life. I was quickly becoming bored and losing interest, therefore I thought an apprenticeship would be the best route. The Manchester College were advertising an apprenticeship scheme on their website, so I instantly applied for a Web Developer position, hoping I wasn't too late!
How did you become a Creative Pioneer?
Lauren: A number of candidates who had been applying for apprenticeships in a range of media companies were selected to attend an open day. During this, we were all sectioned into groups where we would have 2 minutes each to impress 4 representatives from media firms. Individuals would then be selected to attend interviews at the companies who were interested. Although its speed-dating format wasn’t quite the ordinary experience, it was a great chance to meet people who had similar passions, as well as thinking on the spot to questions!
Keenan: I was invited to the selection process at one of the Manchester College Campus’s, which I was quite nervous about. I met a lot of others people who were applying for creative apprenticeships. There was an interesting presentation about the industry I could be delving into, followed by 4 interviews where I was asked many questions. Luckily, I was chosen to have interviews with a couple of the creative companies. My favourite was with Access, so when I received a phone call proposing a second interview, I was ecstatic. Then when I finally found out I had gotten the job, you can imagine how I felt.
Access all areas
Lauren: I’ve now officially been a Project Management Apprentice within the Access family for a month now. I’m thankful that I was selected to be a ‘Pioneer’, as it opened me up to a range of potential opportunities. I’m having the chance to get involved with as many projects as possible, no matter what department it’s from. I’m getting skills, experience, as well as access to pool of knowledge. It’s showing me that hard work and determination pays off and I’m looking forward to continuing to show what I can do!
Keenan: It’s been about a month at Access and I have had the chance to be involved in many different things. From liaising with clients to the maintenance of websites. Not to mention I’ve met lots of really great, friendly people and it’s been interesting having the chance to see what they all do on a daily basis! I’m definitely looking forward to what I will be involved with in the future and I'm thrilled that Access chose me to be the Web Development apprentice!
We’ve certainly enjoyed having them here so far and look forward to helping them grow into their respective roles!
Read Mark Hope's thoughts on harnessing the power of apprentices here
