In today's dynamic business landscape, gaining practical experience while pursuing a formal education is invaluable, and for any young professional keen on blending academic learning with workplace training, apprenticeship programmes offer an ideal path.
Ingleton Wood have witnessed firsthand the transformative power of apprenticeships; most recently illustrated through the journey of one of our young talents, Ruby Oxley, who we supported through a Level 3 Business Administration course with the Colchester Institute.
Ruby’s apprenticeship
To support Ruby’s development in her role as Audit and Compliance Coordinator at Ingleton Wood, Colchester Institute’s Business Administration Apprenticeship course provided an academic programme that supported her professional endeavours and development.
The 18-month course covered a variety of business-centric topics, while also delving into more nuanced areas such as GDPR, communications, external factors affecting businesses, quality control, stakeholders, and central business functions.
The multi-faceted curriculum provided by Colchester Institute ensures that apprentices like Ruby are well-equipped with the knowledge and skills required to succeed in a business environment.
Practical experience and support
One of the key attractions of pursuing an apprenticeship with Ingleton Wood is the opportunity to earn, learn and gain hands-on workplace experience while contributing to our mission of solving global challenges one building at a time.
In addition, the balance between on-the-job experience and academic study allows our apprentices to apply their theoretical knowledge in a practical setting, enhancing their learning experience.
Additionally, our apprentices receive in-house support, training opportunities, and mentorship, ensuring they are guided and supported throughout their journey by senior staff members.
In Ruby’s case, she is an important member of our Audit and Compliance team; supporting our practice in achieving and maintaining our ISO accreditations: ISO9001, ISO14001, ISO 45001 & ISO27001.
Key components and assessments
Ruby’s apprenticeship programme included a range of academic assessments to solve a practical business-related task; interestingly this resulted in our own client feedback process being refined off the back of Ruby’s recommendations.
This process not only provided Ruby with practical experience, but also made a significant impact on our business and demonstrated the value apprentices bring to the workplace.
Ruby’s journey
As Ruby approaches the two-year mark with Ingleton Wood, having joined us at just 17, her journey exemplifies the immense value of the Level 3 Business Administration Apprenticeship.
The course has provided a blend of academic learning and practical experience, equipping a young professional with the skills and confidence needed to succeed in the business world.
Holly Sutherland, Apprenticeship Coordinator at Ingleton Wood, commented on Ruby’s achievement:
“Congratulations from all of us at Ingleton Wood for completing your Level 3 Apprenticeship, Ruby! Watching you develop into a young professional and seeing the contributions you have already made to your team and the wider business has been a great experience, and we can’t wait to see what you do next!”
Upon successfully completing her Apprenticeship course, Ruby had this advice for anyone considering enrolling on an apprenticeship programme with Ingleton Wood:
"I've gained invaluable skills and experiences that have already significantly shaped my career, and to anyone considering an apprenticeship course, I say; be brave and go for it! The opportunities for growth and learning are immense and completing my apprenticeship course with Ingleton Wood has been an incredibly rewarding journey.
Since my first day with the Practice, I was made to feel a part of the team straight away and have never felt like ‘just an apprentice’.
With my apprenticeship now complete, I look forward to continuing my development with Ingleton Wood and ultimately becoming a lead auditor for ISO 14001".
Ingleton Wood proudly supports apprenticeship programmes and is committed to providing opportunities for young professionals to grow and thrive in their careers.
If you would like to find out more about our apprenticeship programme, early careers, or graduate opportunities, please click here, or contact: recruitment@ingletonwood.co.uk