Sarah Smith - Senior Project Manager – People Programme

Why did you apply for an apprenticeship?

At the time I was working on construction projects within the private sector and was looking for something new to get into! I came across an opportunity to do a Project Management apprenticeship here at Waltham Forest whilst working in the London Borough of Culture Team. The opportunity caught my attention straight away as... 
1: It was a unique opportunity to be a part of the first ever London borough of Culture in Waltham Forest my hometown!  
2: To be able to gain a recognised qualification - APMQ (Associate Project Management Qualification). It was a win-win situation for me, so I went for it without any hesitation. 

Main learning points from the apprenticeship programme

The main learning points for me were understanding the different approaches to Project Management as I only had an understanding of Prince2 before being on the programme. 
The apprenticeship allowed me to be intentional in applying my learning to the events I was working on, to be able to reflect on my development really enabled me to grow in confidence in managing and supporting projects. 

Incorporating the apprenticeship into your working week

To progress through the apprenticeship, I needed to apply my learning and I often felt that I didn’t have any or enough evidence to support my assessments at times. After raising this concern, I was given opportunities within my team to lead on various aspects of programme and events management to ensure I could apply my learning from the apprenticeship and provide evidence for my portfolio. For example, I had to evidence in my assessment negotiations, and as I wasn’t involved in such conversations with the artists the Events Manager allowed me to engage with various artists, enabling me to incorporate my learning assessments around negotiations when developing these contracts. 

Professional development since starting and completing the apprenticeship

When I started the apprenticeship, I was a Project Support Officer in the London Borough of Culture Team, supporting the management of the wider programme. I then moved on to an Assistant Producer role having more of a focal point on the production of events. During the last few months of my apprenticeship, I moved into the Change Team as a Project Coordinator supporting a range of projects, including the pre implementation phase of the current ERP Programme (SAP Replacement). As of the start of this year I have been appointed as a Senior Project Manager within the Change Team working on the People Programme.
 

Would you recommend an apprenticeship?

I would recommend an apprenticeship as I believe it offers experiences and opportunities that both solely learning and working does not offer. The beauty about an apprenticeship is it doesn’t matter about age, experience, or previous qualifications, as you are always bound to learn and apply this to your work.  It also allows you to acquire valuable skills and experience within your working area which will strengthen your development opportunities. 

Jo Tanner - Customer Service and Business Support Team Manager

Why did you apply for the senior leader apprenticeship programme?

Having been at work full time since I left school at 16, I have gathered a vast amount of knowledge in and around the workplace. I have worked in a range of industries, all of which have taught me many things and subsequently contributed to my progression. My one regret is that I didn’t challenge myself to achieve a qualification at a higher level. This apprenticeship is giving me that opportunity and at the same time, enhancing my knowledge and experience to apply to my day-to-day role

The one thing I have learnt as an apprentice is that it’s not as daunting as I thought it would be. Of course, there are some topics that I know nothing about but there are an awful lot of topics I do know something about and this has given me a great deal of confidence in my abilities.

Incorporating the apprenticeship into your working week

I won’t lie, Of course it can be difficult, and you need to be really disciplined in your approach. I am really fortunate to have a team around me that supports and encourage me to take the time that I need to complete my lectures and assignments. If things get busy and difficult to manage, my Head of Service is always there to reassure me and help prioritise the workload. There is also plenty of support and encouragement from the University too. And finally, other Waltham Forest Apprentices who you can lean on and talk to openly about assignments, lectures and anything else that you need to.

Would you recommend an apprenticeship?

For me this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to obtain a qualification I never dreamed I could achieve, and Waltham Forest have believed in me to achieve it too. I would recommend this to anybody who wants to enhance their knowledge to progress their career. I can already recognise my learnings in my day-to-day role so it’s certainly making a difference to me and the organisation.