I LOVE MY PPRENTICESHIP!
George, Lovewell Blake LLP, T Trainee
•
Where did you go to school? Thorpe St ndrew School and Sixth Form
•
What subjects did you study? Business Studies, Media Studies, Photography and the Ex-
tended Project Qualificaton
•
Why did you choose an pprentceship? I chose an pprentceship for a number of rea-
sons - to gain experience that university students would not be getng, to avoid the debt
of a student loan, but mostly because I did not really see myself at University. I just really
wanted to get into the world of work and did not see University as any more valuable than
an pprentceship - especially when I am studying towards industry recognised qualifica-
tons from day one. I truly feel that pprentceships are a fantastc alternatve to University
for people who want to get out into the world of work, but also learn more skills and study
towards internatonally-recognised qualificatons.
•
What path did you take to get to your current positon? I started off by partcipatng in
work experience placements within this industry - both at Lovewell Blake and other com-
panies. fer enjoying these placements, I decided that this was the career that I would like
to get into and as a result applied for an apprentceship positon at Lovewell Blake. fer
applying, I got invited to an assessment day which I was successful in, and started my p-
prentceship in ugust 2019 - two months afer completng my
-Level exams.
•
What does a typical day in your role look like? I started off by partcipatng in work experi-
ence placements within this industry - both at Lovewell Blake and other companies. fer
enjoying these placements, I decided that this was the career that I would like to get into
and as a result applied for an apprentceship positon at Lovewell Blake. fer applying, I
got invited to an assessment day which I was successful in, and started my pprentceship
in ugust 2019 - two months afer completng my
-Level exams.
•
What do you think are the most valuable skills have you learnt on your apprentceship? I
have definitely developed my communicaton and interpersonal skills since startng my ap-
prentceship, as I find myself interactng with a variety of different people from all walks of
life on a daily basis. I also feel that my problem solving and analysis skills have developed a
lot as a result of the work that I am doing. s well as this, I have definitely developed my
knowledge of accountng and find myself being able to do things I found very difficult when
I first joined. I stll have a lot to learn, but the beauty of an apprentceship is that I am
learning and developing many skills at all tmes.
I LOVE MY PPRENTICESHIP!
George, Lovewell Blake LLP, T Trainee
•
What is the job prospect/progression when you complete your apprentceship? The pro-
gression opportunites are fantastc afer I complete my apprentceship, and I hope to pro-
gress onto the next level of my apprentceship once I complete this level. The experience
that I have gained since day one will help a lot with my progression as I get further into my
career. One of the managers in my department actually joined and studied for the same
qualificaton as me when he was 18, so to me this indicates where I could be a few years
down the line if I work hard and keep progressing.
•
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? In five years, I hope to be studying towards the
IC EW C qualificaton or potentally be a fully qualified Chartered ccountant. I see my-
self stll being at Lovewell Blake, as they are an excellent company to work for, and moving
my way up the career ladder. I certainly would find this a lot harder if I was not an appren-
tce - I feel like being on an apprentceship has helped me to find a lot of directon in my
life which is incredibly valuable in itself.
•
What do you like best about being an apprentce? The best thing about being an ppren-
tce is being able to gain experience in a fast moving, ever-evolving industry whilst also
studying for internatonally recognised professional qualificatons. Besides this, the social
element of work that our company fosters is a great way to try new things that I would
have not tried otherwise! Just a couple of days afer I joined I partcipated in a social foot-
golf event with my department which I thoroughly enjoyed!
Why do you love your apprentceship?
I love being in a professional working environment whilst also being
able to beter myself and build my knowledge of accountancy and
build my career from day one where other people my age are at Uni-
versity, only seeing the educaton side of things, rather than the hands
on experience side of things as well.