Case Study – Georgia Nikitin

Homegrown talent talks about her experience

I am employed in the Woodspeen Contract Compliance team as a Contract Compliance Administrator since December 2018. Prior to that I was a Business Administration Level 2 Apprentice from December 2018 – January 2020. 

After passing my Business Administration apprenticeship I then undertook an IT Applications Level 3 Apprenticeship from January 2020 – May 2021, successfully gaining a pass.

Tell us about your career journey so far
When I first came to Woodspeen I did a 6-week traineeship in Business Administration to see if I liked the sector, as I had no previous experience in Business Administration. I had achieved a GCSE in English but not in Maths, so I focused on gaining my Maths Functional Skills which I succeeded with.

My traineeship covered various topics which featured in more detail during my apprenticeship so I had an idea of what to expect and that my apprenticeship would include tasks which really interested me. The traineeship gave me a great foundation to follow on to an apprenticeship, especially as I saved my resources from the traineeship that I was able to reuse in my apprenticeship.
 
After the traineeship, Woodspeen Training helped me enrol on a Business Administration Level 2 Apprenticeship.  

During my apprenticeship, I worked in the Woodspeen Training Compliance team as a Contract Compliance Administrator. Woodspeen Training had a compliance vacancy and put me forward for the role as I did well with my traineeship and wanted to work in Business Administration. I passed my probation and was so pleased as I was offered the role! At that time the Cognassist system was new to Woodspeen Training, so my main task was supporting its introduction. Each week I had a Business Administration lesson for a full day at Woodspeen Training, which was great as I was already here working, and it was nice to meet other learners! Woodspeen Training really accommodated me with my 4 working days and 1 day of learning.  

My manager is supportive, and we discussed the benefits of improving my IT skills, as my compliance role has a heavy IT focus. I enrolled on the Woodspeen Training IT Applications Apprenticeship Level 3. 

My apprenticeships have helped me gain so much self-confidence, along with communication and teamwork skills. 

What were your reasons for starting the programme?
I wanted to gain my Functional Skills in Maths but also wanted to be in full time employment and learning at the same time. College wasn’t for me: with an apprenticeship I have had the best of both worlds! I have enjoyed the variety of working with different people and tasks.  

I am confident in my role now and am looking forward to the future. I don’t have a fixed plan of what I’d like to do next, but I am open to consider options when they crop up. I would consider another apprenticeship in the future.

My Manager Fiona is really helpful and if there is anything I need support with then she is there.  She has been very supportive with my development.   

What was your proudest moment?  
Completing both my apprenticeships!  
I am proud of myself that my motivation and hard work has paid off. At the beginning my confidence was very low but achieving both my apprenticeships has filled me with so much more confidence. Woodspeen Training supported me throughout.  

Give us an inspired quote
“I personally would recommend the apprenticeship route to young people who want to learn whilst they work. They are so beneficial as you will receive a qualification at the end of the apprenticeship”.