Hannah Richards discovered the perfect way to build her career confidence while she was working as a supervisor at the Legoland Discovery Centre in Birmingham.
The high-achiever was looking for a means to develop her skills on an “earn while you learn” basis – and she found it in the shape of a Business Apprenticeship.
The award-winning Operations/Departmental Manager Apprenticeship offered by Staffordshire University gave her all the building blocks she needed to pursue her quest for a move up the promotional ladder.
Over the three years of her course Hannah was able to bring back her new-found academic knowledge to benefit her job while also continuing to gain practical experience.
Boosted by her new-found skills she moved on to become Operations Manager at the National Sea Life Centre – and she is now in a new job as a Senior Operations Manager at The Bear Grylls Adventure activity centre in Birmingham.
“The Apprenticeship gave me the confidence to move forward with my career,” said Hannah, who is now studying on a Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship at Staffordshire University.
“It fitted into my lifestyle, with my employers Merlin Entertainments allowing me to continue at work while studying part-time at University.
“I had great support from the University’s work-based education officer as well as from my lecturers.
“The practical aspect of the apprenticeship has given me so much more confidence in myself and what I can achieve.
“The recognised qualification is something I can put on my CV and makes me excited to know it makes me stand out.”
For those looking for similar successful progress, Staffordshire University is staging a Business Apprenticeships Webinar on 18 July between 11.30-12.30.
During the online session, School of Justice, Security and Sustainability Course Director Tina Allen will discuss Business Apprenticeships at the University.
The Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship and the Operational/Departmental Manager Apprenticeship will be showcased with examples of how they can help to grow and upskill workforces.
The webinar will include real-life case studies from some of the University’s largest employer partners and their apprentices to demonstrate how Business Apprenticeships can actively enhance a business.
Maighréad Hegarty, Associate Dean Apprenticeships at Staffordshire University, said: “We want to show how employing apprentices can benefit businesses large and small and how increasingly employers are using apprentices to fill skills gaps and revitalise their workforce.
“Last year Ofsted found our provision to be Good across the board and we take immense pride in the fact that we are trailblazers for a number of apprenticeships.”
To sign up to the event click here.
- Staffordshire University is the only University to have been awarded Excellence in End Point Assessment delivery for the Operations/Departmental Management Apprenticeship by the Institute of Leadership & Management.
