SOCOTEC UK Apprentice Completes Apprenticeship with a Distinction

To celebrate Amy’s achievement, we sat down with her to reflect on the training programme and what she now has to look forward to in her career.

How have you found the apprenticeship here at SOCOTEC?

I’ve really enjoyed my apprenticeship experience. I like being able to learn on the job so that I can gain first-hand experience in applying what I’ve been learning, and it was great to have a clear pathway into a career at the end of the apprenticeship. I’ve also found the staff at SOCOTEC in Environmental and Advanced Chemistry incredibly supportive and inclusive, particularly my mentor Jodie Maciver, Environmental Chemistry and Advanced Chemistry quality manager.

What did your programme entail?

The Business Administrator level three program with TIRO included mostly online lessons and coursework that needed to be submitted online throughout the duration of the apprenticeship. Then at the end of the apprenticeship I had to complete a multiple-choice exam, along with delivering a presentation where I discussed a project I had completed and how it had helped me develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours that the BA standard required. I was then required to be interviewed by an external assessor to discuss my portfolio of work I’d submitted and how I’d developed other areas of knowledge, skills and behaviours.

What are your next steps for your career?

My next steps are to continue to develop my knowledge of Quality procedures and to improve my auditing skills in particular by getting experience with analysis in the labs. My long-term goal is to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to fulfil a role in quality management.

Would you recommend an apprenticeship at SOCOTEC?

Yes, I would. I think having a supportive mentor makes all the difference, so I’m really grateful that mine was brilliant. Also, SOCOTEC seem committed to ensuring that their apprentices progress and become permanent employees at the end of their courses, which is great.

What accomplishment you have achieved during your programme are you most proud of and why?

I’m quite pleased with how my auditing abilities have progressed recently. Auditing is a big part of quality admin but this time last year I didn’t really have the confidence or experience to be able to conduct audits successfully. Recently I’ve completed two audits totally independently that have gone well and I’ll be doing another next week, so I’m happy I’ve been able to gain more experience and confidence in this area, as it was probably the part of my job that I’ve found the most daunting.

What advice would you give to our current apprentices?

Ask as many questions as possible during the first few months. Make sure you take notes of things you’re going to need to know in the future, so you can refer back to them when you’re transitioning into a more independent worker. Once you’ve got a handle on things, trust your judgement. Still ask questions if you’re really stuck, but try to do as much as you can independently – figuring things out by yourself can sometimes make the process stick in your memory better than someone just giving you the solution.

What is your new job title and what are your responsibilities?

My job title is quality systems administrator for the Environmental Chemistry and Advanced Chemistry departments. Essentially, I assist the quality manager in administration tasks to ensure that the labs are compliant with ISO 17025 so that we can retain our UKAS accreditation status, (ISO 17025 is an international standard that laboratories should hold accreditation for in order to be deemed technically competent).