“My Apprenticeship has been really rewarding. I always wanted to have something on paper that backs up my experience but I’ve also really grown as a person and as a manager.”
Hayley Jackson gained her Higher Apprenticeship – Operations/Departmental Manager Level 5 qualification at WightFibre, where she works as Sales Director. As a senior manager, Hayley didn’t feel like a typical apprentice at first, although she is a strong example of how businesses can use Apprenticeships to invest in existing staff and develop their team.
“I’ve been working since I was 18. I left college with an NVQ and since then I haven’t stepped into the world of education. My Apprenticeship gives me a qualification that backs up basically what I’ve been learning in the workplace during my career. WightFibre were very supportive of me getting this qualification.
“It did feel a little strange to be an apprentice at age 42, however I was studying alongside business owners and other senior managers, which proves you can be an apprentice at any age. I definitely think I’ve proved something to myself. I didn’t think I was capable of completing this course at first. I’m dyslexic so having to write 6,000 words was a real shock to the system. It was a challenge and my Assessor at HTP really helped me.
“The Apprenticeship has been brilliant for me. I’ve learned things that I had no idea even existed, along with different ways and methods of either coping or moving things forward. One area that I did find really interesting was conflict management. I think I’m very good at tailoring my leadership styles to suit individual circumstances but I definitely picked up some really interesting theories about how I could do things slightly differently. I spend a little bit more time reflecting or thinking before I’m going to act. There has been a lot of personal growth too. A lot of the things I’ve taken on board and learnt, I’ve also used in my personal life.
“Graduating as an apprentice was fantastic. A lot of people that I went to school with went to university and I never followed that path. It’s a really proud moment and I would advise anybody to go for an Apprenticeship at HTP.”
