My Journey Through Apprenticeship Success

Introduction

I recently completed an apprenticeship at Omega PLC ran by The Colleges' Partnership, and I would like to share more regarding the outcome and experience I have gained during this chapter of my life as I believe apprenticeships and relevant achievements are not recognised and told the full stories of as often as they should be. Apprenticeships play a substantial part in changing people's lives and futures and I hope that this can help inspire others to succeed. This apprenticeship turned my life around for the best - and that is invaluable to me.

Please note that I have autism and I learn in different ways to many other people. This strongly affected my learning journey and will differ from person to person depending on their needs.

I will begin with a brief rundown of past periods of my life, and then go further in depth around the apprenticeship program.

School

I attended a Secondary School in my local area from 2016 to 2022 and I had trouble learning in the same ways as other students typically do. This was making it difficult for me to focus and gain knowledge like others, as I couldn't take information in while being in a classroom and being talked to indirectly. I was unable to ask questions as frequently as I would have liked to. Due to this typical classroom method of learning, I failed my crucial exams. However, I did receive some qualifications that I am able to use. The failed exam results were very disappointing for me to see, having tried my best in the required subjects. But I had hope.

The school were unable to do more than they already were to help, so please do not send negative comments their way as this is not my intention. I still to this day appreciate their efforts and support they put in place for me, despite it being insufficient for my specific needs.

How I Learn

For me to gain any knowledge and be able to write it up in an exam, I need to be taught one to one, bit by bit, for it to sink in. This is the only way I am able to learn. This wasn't carried out enough at school. Until I realised I needed this alternative way to learn, I felt as if I was a complete failure and I would never get anywhere in life. My dream job was to be an IT Technician, and thinking I'd never be able to succeed, to say the least put me at possibly the lowest point of my life.

Work Experience / Work Placement

I had one week of work experience in Secondary School in January 2020, and about 10 months work placement in Sixth Form from November 2021 - August 2022. Referrals from family members also helped me get to this point. These were both at Omega PLC and I really enjoyed working there - so much that I chose to continue working there voluntary after the work experience faded away from the school in June 2022.

Apprenticeship

I was then offered an apprenticeship in July 2022 which started in September 2022. I was extremely pleased having heard this. Since September 2022 to May 2024, I have had the most impactful education of my life from my Tutor from The Colleges' Partnership. I had one to one lessons, and was able to ask questions as and when needed, to help me gain knowledge needed to achieve a Pass in Maths and English, something I struggled with in School. The Colleges' Partnership worked around me, as opposed to school where I had to work around them (due to the limitations of schools as a whole). The sessions were spread out as needed, and were not overwhelming for me. They were also able to offer extra support and understanding to assist in additional needs. This made a huge difference and drastically changed the outcome.

I have greatly improved my communication skills and gotten much more comfortable in a working environment while expanding my knowledge and skills. I also completed an IT Qualification and I now have a Distinction in IT, and I am now fully employed by Omega PLC as an IT Support Technician.

Conclusion

Words cannot describe how grateful I am of this result, as I've wanted this job since I was around 10 - now I am fixing all sorts of issues which is what I'd hoped for. There's still a lot for me to learn, but that will all come with experience as I comlete further courses and training. Home projects and research keeps me occupied to continue learning.

This entire experience is a massive eye opener to me. To anyone out there that may be struggling like I was - you have potential. You just have to find it.

Thank you to both Omega PLC and The Colleges' Partnership for allowing my dream job to become a reality.

If anyone has any questions please feel free to email me and I will be happy to answer. (Responses may be delayed until the end of the year due to current personal circumstances).

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