John Myers- Speedibake

Before starting your apprenticeship, did you know what to expect or have any concerns about studying an apprenticeship?

“Before the apprenticeship I knew what to expect in terms of exams and the end point assessment as I had an onboarding meeting prior to starting. I didn’t have any concerns about doing an apprenticeship as I completed another apprenticeship one month before enrolling to the L4 Commercial Procurement and Supply Apprenticeship, so I was prepared mentally for the hard work involved.”

Did you require Cognassist? If so, did you find it useful?

“Yes, I found it useful as every month there were different topics to work through and they weren’t very time consuming. I would then have a review session with a SEN mentor every month where we would have a discussion on a particular topic, which helped understand my needs.”

How did the support you receive at SRSCC help you in achieving your Apprenticeship?

“It helped me achieve my apprenticeship as there were sessions on each module and then a further revision session before the exam. If you needed further support, you could reach out to the tutors who were more than happy to support and give advice. Also, each student had a mentor whereby we had periodic review sessions along with my line manager to discuss how I was getting on and help keep me on track.”

Did you experience any struggles or tough moments along the way? If so, how did you overcome them?

“Yes, I struggled in the summer as I needed to revise for exams, and I had a fear of missing out but I motivated myself to concentrate on revision because I would have been more annoyed if I had failed due to not putting the effort in then have to re-sit the exam again.”

How has the Apprenticeship help you grow as a person and develop your professional skills?

“It has helped me be more confident as a person and help me make the correct business decisions, so I don’t negatively impact the business. It has helped me with my communication skills and getting stakeholder buy in from an early stage. Additionally, it has also helped me with my integrity especially as this is high on the agenda within procurement.”

Have you had the opportunity to apply what you’ve learnt in real-world scenarios?

“Yes, on many projects. One example recently is that egg has been identified as a future risk to the business, so this risk can be mitigated by value engineering egg out of products with different technologies. This is currently at the early stages of the procurement cycle, but during other projects it has helped me understand how the cycle works.”

What did you enjoy most about your apprenticeship experience?

“I enjoyed learning about new subjects and understanding the reasons why certain things are done, as it helps me build my knowledge, but it also gives me confidence into my justifications at work. Additionally, it was always satisfying and rewarding to find out I had passed my exams after all the hard work I had put in. “

What advice would you give to someone contemplating whether to enroll onto an Apprenticeship?

“I would recommend it because it helps learning about a subject, then putting these learnings into your day job which builds context. Additionally, by enrolling in an apprenticeship I think it will leverage your career going forward. “