When did you start your Apprenticeship?

I started on 3^rd of April 2017

How long is your Apprenticeship?

A year

What type of Apprenticeship did you choose? 

Sales Administration

What level of qualification did you take?

Level 2 in business administration

When you were first considering your next step in education, what options were you considering?

Before I started working at pentagon I went to sixth form however due to the working environment and attitudes towards young adults I decided it wasn’t for me and left, I also considered going to college before sixth form however decided to stay local and stay at school.

What made you decide on studying an Apprenticeship over the other options available to you?

I decided to study an apprenticeship due to the nature of working as well as being trained in a role which could benefit anyone in the future, I also chose an apprenticeship as it meant I would gain qualifications without having to attend a sixth form or college as training is provided at my work place

How likely would you be to recommend an apprenticeship or traineeship?

Highly recommended if you’ve decided or want to know more about a certain role

What are the main benefits of your apprenticeship or traineeship training?

The main benefits of my apprenticeship are I gain useful qualifications for the future as well as gain knowledge and training for the future of work, another benefit towards my apprenticeship would be that it has helped me gain more confidence and deliver myself towards people without hesitance.

What were your career aspirations before starting? Have they changed since starting?

Before starting I had decided on some career paths which I would like to allow such as administration, construction or engineering, I’ve always wanted to become a sole trader and start my own company evolving around those ideas.

What do you do day-to-day at work?

I work as an administrator which means I help put car sales together and make sure they are up to the standard the customer has asked for, some jobs I do are as followed: Tax cars online, order cars for customers, set up policies which have been bought by the customer such as GAP and warranties as well as other jobs which are based around an admin job.

What is your level of responsibility?

My level of responsibility at Pentagon increases at the same pace as I progress, I am slowly becoming more independent and responsible for higher jobs above me which helps me progress to the standard a sales admin should be.

Would you say it is helping build your career?

Yes, it is helping me figure out what I want to do when I’m older and is helping me decide whether the motor industry is for me or if another part such as service or salesmen would suit me better, this will come in time however I’m sure form this apprenticeship it will give me boost in major skills needed for the future.

Are you enjoying your apprenticeship?

Yes, as it has allowed me to become more talkative and made me build relationships with colleagues which I didn’t think was possible at the start.

How about the training?

I gain training once a month which has also helped me within the business admin area due to the paperwork I complete which has given me knowledge about business and how they are structured as well as communications in work and how you can present yourself to other workers and customers.

Do you have any top tips or words of wisdom for someone thinking about doing an apprenticeship?

Go for it as you won’t look back on one as you gain qualifications, training as well as gain a much more understanding of the working environment which will help you hopefully realise what you would like to do in the future and see if the industry you want to get into is the one for you, you also get paid which isn’t too bad at the age of 16+ especially if you’re thinking about driving.

How long did it take you to find your apprenticeship?

Around a month