Apprentice of the Month – January 2024
Could you please share some insights about yourself?
My mum saw that Poplar Farm had come up on Total Jobs and I applied straight away. I then got an email and phone call through to come in for an interview. Later that day, I received a call that I got the job. Outside of school, I play football for Barrowby FC and sometimes referee matches on a weekend because I am a qualified FA referee.
What motivated your decision to become an Inspire+ apprentice?
I had always wanted to do something to do with sports. I chose to go straight into an apprenticeship after secondary school as I did not want to really do A-levels. I looked into what else I could do instead of A-levels and I saw that I could do an apprenticeship. I had previously had an assembly at my Secondary School and was always interested in doing one. Due to my passion for sports, I thought it was only right to try a PE apprenticeship and see how it goes. It is also very good to have on my CV for future.
What valuable insights and skills have you gained thus far during your apprenticeship?
I have gained a lot of confidence from working at Poplar. Before starting at Poplar, I was very introverted and didn’t often speak to people due to my low confidence. Since being at school, I have made strong bonds with the teachers and children which has really helped me to settle into school.
What skills have you learned from attending training one day per week?
I have learnt many skills from attending training each week. I have learnt about British values, safeguarding, radicalisation, equality and diversity, mental health and well being, employability and many more skills.
What do you enjoy about your apprenticeship?
I enjoy the whole aspect of every day may be different. One day I will have PE with Years 1 and 2, then the next day I will have Years 3 and 4. I enjoy helping out the teachers even a littler bit by just trimming or laminating sheets for example. This helps them a lot to save the more time and give them more time to plan out their actual lessons.
What do you hope to achieve in the future? What are your career ambitions?
I hope to gain even more confidence. I also hope to be able to stay on for another year at Poplar as this will help me to improve even more.
Would you like to share a good memory from your apprenticeship?
A memory I have so far is when I am not in on Fridays, the children are always asking me to come into school instead of doing what I need to do on Fridays. I once got asked if I was staying for another year and I said maybe not. The child cried and gave me a hug. This memory has stayed with me since I started.
Do you recommend other people to become an inspire+ apprentice?
Yes I have recommended it to people already. This is because I have really enjoyed it so far and if you are passionate about sports then it is a good career choice to take.