Here we go again! University, careers and your future!
Sitting in the college hall, listening to the Head giving a long speech on how if you don’t go to a university that your life will be ruined and that you won’t have a future or career! If you don’t go to university! But I was there thinking though that university wasn’t for me and at 17 my idea of what I wanted to do with my life was changing day by day. That was until the wonderful invention called “Google” pointed me in the right direction, I can remember typing “what to do when you leave college that isn’t university?” And lo and behold there it was; “Apprenticeships”.
When scrolling down the page I saw an apprenticeship website called Babington’s I was curious to who they were so I began exploring the website. An apprenticeship that looked very interesting and appealing to me was “Financial Services” so I called them and asked if it was possible to apply ready for July once I had finished my college course. They agreed and it now felt like I was about to kick start my career and it made those next 3 or 4… possibly 5 university speeches a lot less painstaking.
It was July 23rd 2014 and I can remember feeling nervous and anxious it was now my 2nd interview for a possible apprenticeship. I can remember walking through the red doors and being seen to and asked to take a seat whilst waiting for Director to come and interview me. I heard a door go and a young girl walked out looking all pleased and my heart sunk I thought “oh my gosh, that girl has got the job! I haven’t got a chance!” This was probably just my nerves. Then out came the Director and I had my interview and all seemed to go well. I arrived home and was talking to my mum about how it went, when next thing Babington’s rang me and advised that me and one other girl had got the job at Connect Insurance!
I have now been at Connect for over a year and a half. I’m almost 20 and I have passed my apprenticeship in Financial Services (General Insurance). I do honestly believe that working at Connect has benefitted me a lot more than going to university, as I have been supported one on one throughout my apprenticeship by the people that I work with, through the training they have given me. As well as Babington’s coming once month to help better my understanding of the industry and giving me the guidance I need in order to pass the apprenticeship.
What made me so happy about doing an apprenticeship was that I proved college wrong! That I do have a future and I always remember college saying that you make your friends for life at university but I have made friends for life here and even my best friend who just so happened to be the “young girl looking all pleased” and by default “the other girl who got the job”. I even loved my apprenticeship that much that I even decided to do another one at Connect, this time an advanced apprenticeship in “Social Media and Digital Marketing” which I hope do this as my career.
Apprenticeships are great and I am proud to say that I have done one (well two). Connect Insurance are always looking for apprentices to help bring young blood into the industry, so if you are unsure what to do with yourself after college is over, consider an apprenticeship and take advantage of the opportunity to learn and train in a working environment!