All of us at URPotential would like to say congratulations to our admin apprentice Laura, who has successfully completed her NVQ and has now got a full time job with URPotential! Read her story below!

My Journey

 

I left high school in June 2015 and enrolled at Blackpool and Fylde College on a Makeup course. I did not enjoy this so I changed my options to do a health and social care course. I was there for around 2 months and I knew that being at college wasn’t for me. I then found a job working in a cafe but after a few months I decided to look for an apprenticeship because I wanted a career and to better myself.

I went to Connexions and they helped me to find an apprenticeship company, called Workology. I had to tell them what I was interested in doing which was customer service and helping people. This is when I got my first ever interview at URPotential for an admin apprentice role. I came to the interview with no administration experience. I lacked so much confidence, and I had absolutely no interview experience. Unfortunately, I was not offered the place. I kept trying and trying, and eventually got myself an apprenticeship at an estate agent in Blackpool. After a few months of working there my boss had to let me leave, due to financial problems.

This was a shame, but didn’t stop me from trying again. Workology helped me to find another apprenticeship and luckily enough URPotential asked me back for another interview. I was shocked but relieved as I thought now I can show them how I have progressed from my first interview. It had made me more ambitious to get the apprenticeship.  Sitting in front of Linda and Ben for the second time felt less daunting, I felt more confident because I brought with more knowledge about administration, more experience with interviews.  A few days letter I received a phone call off Linda telling me they were offering me the apprenticeship, I was over the moon, and finally began to realise this would be the start of my journey, and could lead me to reaching my potential.

Whilst working at URPotential I was also having to do work for my NvQ level 2 Business Administration was a struggle as I was also given more responsibilities in my work place. I was given the role as office administrator apprentice. The jobs included data inputting and managing databases, creating flyers, photocopying, scanning, laminating etc. I picked up these jobs quite easily and quickly I was also given the job to answer telephone calls and answering the door, greeting visitors.  I was very nervous and very shy to start off with. I lacked confidence and I was very quiet. This changed over time as i became more and more confident answering calls and dealing with all different types of people that came into our office.

Through working at URPotential I was offered the opportunity to go on training courses to help me gain more knowledge. I have been on First Aid training, customer service training, and also digital champion training, I am now a digital champion which means I now can go out and help people to get online; learning how to use a laptop, creating an email, online shopping, the list is endless. Going on this course has helped me make a difference to people’s lives. This makes me very proud and I find it personally satisfying.  

My apprenticeship finished at the end of April, and then have been offered a full time job at URPoential, it will have included on going on more training so I can carry on progressing. Thanks to Debbie and Linda, without them wouldn’t be where I am today.  I have progressed so much from when I began, thanks to the whole of the URPotential team. Each member of staff made me feel so welcome from the very first day, they have taught me so much, and I can do more things now which I never thought I would be able to. URPotential really do see the good in people and they will do everything they can to help you reach your goal. I am so glad I came for the second interview because it just shows it was meant to be.