Over the past 2 years I have been completing my Level 3 Laboratory Technician Apprenticeship at the Sir William Dunn School of Pathology. 

My role as a services technician includes a wide range of tasks such as making agar plates and media, mycoplasma testing, washing glassware, helping in stores with accepting deliveries, and then phoning the relevant group to collect the packages. During my Apprenticeship I also had opportunities to spend time in different areas of the department including the electron microscope facility, flow cytometry facility and one of the labs in my department which is led by Jordan Raff. I feel so privileged to have been given the opportunity to explore these areas in my department as well as doing my day to day role. 

Natalie Davis, Apprentice Laboratory Technician

Finishing my Apprenticeship... 

It feels so strange to be writing about finishing my Apprenticeship, the past 2 years have gone by so quickly! The Apprenticeship that I completed had two separate grades to it, one of which is the BTEC level 3 in Applied Science in which I got a D*D* (distinction *). Then the overall Apprenticeship grade which was from my end point assessment (EPA) . For me this involved a whole day of being assessed which was an observation of me working and carrying out different tasks, a professional discussion and then a case study test to apply my knowledge. At the end of this day I was very happy with how it went and I was very glad when I found out I had passed overall.

How do I feel now I have finished? 

What I am doing now.... 

I am very lucky in the fact I have been able to keep my same job. The wait to find out whether I was keeping my job seemed like a very long time due to the current pandemic situation but I was very relieved and happy when I found out I had my job still. This has been such a positive end to my Apprenticeship and I am very grateful to still be working here. 

Is there any differences to my job now? 

Well the  obvious difference is that I have a different title which is now ‘Teaching and Services Technician’. Another difference is that I am now part of the Athena SWAN committee in my department, representing the professional support staff. Otherwise my job is exactly the same, just with the added bonus of a pay increase. 

4 years ago when I was in the last year of my A Levels and making that decision whether to go to university, I  never would have dreamed of working at Oxford University. Yet here I am those few years later having completed my Apprenticeship and have a full time job - all at a place I never would have imagined working. 

Read Natalie's case study on our website!

 Apprentice Teya Agnese, in the Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology & Musculoskeletal Sciences (NDORMS), was recently nominated in the Oxfordshire Apprenticeship Awards for the 'Intermediate Apprentice of the Year'. We are so pleased that Teya not only managed to win this award, but then went on to receive the overall 'Oxfordshire Apprentice of the Year' Award 2020. This is a huge achievement and so well deserved!

The sponsors of the intermediate award, Abbott Diabetes Care, chose Teya as the winner because, "her enthusiasm for the programme infected the whole department she worked in. Her enthusiasm and passion to do things different and to drive on in the Apprenticeship scheme had really impacted the whole department in a positive way".

The sponsor of the overall Apprenticeship Award, High Spec Composites, chose Teya as the overall winner. They also said: "[Teya's] application really did stand out to us because she goes above and beyond in her role." They also mentioned the fact that Teya has designed and implemented her own blog which really helps to spread awareness and benefits of Apprenticeships to a wider audience.

We asked Teya how it felt to win both the intermediate award and then the Oxfordshire Apprentice of the Year award...

"I felt over the moon to have won the Intermediate Apprentice of the Year, so when I kept watching and High Spec Composites announced at the end of the broadcast that I had also won Oxfordshire Apprentice of the Year too I was speechless… and (as my family and I were watching the broadcast of the awards ceremony in the kitchen) I leaped off of my chair and did a little celebratory dance with them. I feel so honoured to have made it this far in my apprenticeship, and I am truly grateful to have such a supportive team by my side".

The Awards took place online, on Thursday 1 October and can be viewed on OxLEP's Youtube page. 

You can also see a full breakdown of the award winners on the Oxfordshire Apprenticeships page.

Teya recently won the '2nd year Apprentice Award' at our own University of Oxford Apprenticeship Awards in March. See more about this on our blog post.

Read more about Teya's Apprenticeship story on our website. Read the case study here!

07/10/2020

We are thrilled to announce that for the second year running, the University of Oxford has placed within the Top 50 for Rate My Apprenticeship’s Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers Table 2020-21! 

We are really proud of this achievement - particularly as the table is based solely on honest reviews from some of our fantastic apprentices across all departments and divisions. Our apprentices contribute so much and we are really pleased that they see the University as one of the top Apprenticeship employers.

The Rate My Apprenticeship awards celebrate the outstanding achievements of apprentices, schools & colleges, employers and training providers in Apprenticeships. To find out more, visit: https://www.ratemyapprenticeshipawards.co.uk/

During this time of uncertainty, we know a lot of people's job roles have changed in line with the situations they are in. For many of our apprentices, this can be especially daunting, as they may be new into their post or finding it difficult to juggle extra responsibilities with adapted online Apprenticeship learning.

We know just how important our apprentices across the University are, and the importance of the roles they play. Now we want to share some of their inspiring stories with you!

Ellie Knight, Finance Division

"Our newest apprentice, Ellie Knight, has experienced a rather unusual start to her Business Administration Apprenticeship. Ellie started her apprenticeship with us on Monday 30 March 2020 – one week into lockdown. We’ve had to work out how to set Ellie up to work and learn entirely remotely. This has been an interesting challenge which Ellie has dealt with remarkably well. Ellie and I have only ever met in person once, at interview. All of our contact since Ellie started in post has been virtual – email, Teams etc.

Despite this challenging start, Ellie has already taken on real responsibility within the Finance Division and has integrated incredibly well into our team."

    - Rebecca Waterman, Deputy Head of Administration

We asked Ellie a few questions about her Apprenticeship...

What Apprenticeship have you started and what made you go for this role?

I started a business administration apprenticeship on the 30th of March (1 week into lockdown). There are a few reasons for wanting this role, to gain experience in the workplace, learn new skills, potentially get a permanent job but also because I wanted to find something I could get stuck into and enjoy.

What was your initial reaction to being told you would have to work from home (wfh) in your new job?

Being told I would have to start this new apprenticeship from home was very weird. I could’ve never imagined it! I had prepared myself for my first day and had bought work clothes and I was quite disheartened to find out I won’t be starting in the office.

What did you do in your first day/week?

In my first week, I set up my emails and got started on other university systems with help from my manager. It was quite a challenge and after a few calls to IT, I mostly had everything necessary set up.

Are you enjoying wfh? Have there been many challenges?

In terms of working from home, it is not what I was expecting at all. Some days I really like it and don’t mind it but other days it would be nice to have some human interaction! It has brought its challenges. Firstly, I was working on a Macbook to start with and the university systems tend to work a lot better with windows. Moreover, macs can be very problematic and a lot of hassle. Also, working at home with 3 people sat at the dining table is far from ideal.

Are you looking forward to going into the offices for the first time and meeting everyone properly?

Millie Thompson, Graduate Accommodation

We recently caught up with former apprentice (& creator of this blog!) Sophie Bebb, to find out what she's been up to since her Apprenticeship with Said Business School at the University of Oxford.

Find out more about our Apprenticeships, visit the University of Oxford Apprenticeships page.

The winner of our Training Provider Individual award went to... Gemma Burgess!

Claire Rees from OUP (left) presenting the award to Gemma Burgess (right)

We asked Gemma a few questions about her role and reaction to winning this award.

1) What is your role? How does it relate to our apprentices?

My role at Abingdon and Witney College is Quality Lead for the Work Based Learning Team. I work with all of the Employer Services team from recruitment and business development to delivery of apprenticeships to ensure that we provide the highest quality provision to all of our apprentices. Within my role I volunteered to support and assess apprentices at the University who are undertaking the Level 5 Operational/Departmental Manager apprenticeship.

2)  Can you describe some benefits of undertaking Apprenticeship based training?

As a former accountancy apprentice myself I truly believe that an apprenticeship based training programme really does open doors and lead to numerous career progression opportunities. I certainly wouldn’t be where I am now if I hadn’t been given the opportunity. An apprenticeship not only provides knowledge within the subject area related to the role but it also develops transferable skills and behaviours that are relevant to any employment. Apprenticeship training is an excellent way to gather knowledge both on and off the job that allows individuals to learn and earn at the same time.

3) What was your reaction to winning your award?

I was so pleased to have been shortlisted as a finalist with two of my colleagues that it really was a surprise to win, as assessing is only a small element to my job role, even though this is what I have been doing for over 10 years. I am keen to support others to help them achieve their goals and it was great for the apprentices to recognise this through the nominations.


4) What would you recommend to anyone else considering an Apprenticeship/taking on an apprentice?

As an employer – take on an apprentice, they’re keen to learn and extremely hard working! As a potential apprentice – you will learn so much on this journey, embrace it! An apprenticeship has so many benefits to an employer as well as the apprentice themselves. It’s hard work for both parties and a big commitment, but a completely beneficial process.

Finalists for Training Provider Individual Award

With over 100 apprentices across the University in all 78 departments, studying over 26 varying Apprenticeship courses, what happens when there is a national pandemic and we are all told to work from home (WFH) if we can?

Well, we've asked a few of our apprentices to share their WFH set up with us, explaining how they are continuing with work. Read on for some of their top tips...

Teya Agnese

Teya's WFH set-up

How, as an Apprentice Clinical Trial Support Officer studying a Level 3 Business Admin course, have I adapted to working from home throughout this pandemic, and what do I do to stay motivated?

Firstly, it’s really useful to have a work space set up in a quiet location where you can put your laptop (and monitors if you have them), and bring that work environment feeling into the space. You may be tempted to work from your sofa, or whilst laying in bed, but these locations imply connotations intended for relaxation. Whereas, having a space set up like your desk would be at your workplace will help to keep you motivated throughout the day, minimising potential distractions.

My work is administration and data entry based, so luckily my job role is easily adaptable to the ‘work from home life.’ The only difference is that I am unable to print off forms that I have entered and file them. So, I make sure to keep a track of what I have done and as a result the task can be completed when I return to the office. I also dedicate every Friday to completing coursework for my Apprenticeship.

Similarly, I like to start each day by writing out a to-do list of what I need to get done. I mix up smaller and larger tasks throughout the day to ensure my day is varied and interesting, ticking them off as I go (which is certainly rewarding) and makes you feel really accomplished by the end of the day.

Something that I would say is KEY whilst working from home is to keep up communication with your team (along with friends and family). A really valuable tool that we have been using is ‘Microsoft Teams.’

It is very beneficial to talk to your team: don’t be afraid to go to them with any questions you may have, ask or suggest any motivation techniques, or even if it’s for an update or a chat. Whilst working from home, it is easy for your independence to take over, which is a valuable skill when sitting and completing tasks from home, but it is really useful to take a few moments each day to catch-up with members of your team to maintain your team building skills and connections. I find that this too adds structure to my day, giving me something to look forward to and sets me tasks that fuel my motivation. Also, just being able to see the lovely smiling faces of your colleagues can really lift your mood and brighten your day.

Whilst working from home, it can be hard to keep concentration levels up, or you can find yourself working continuously for hours. It is important to have a good balance of work and break times.

A good technique that our team discussed, and that I have personally implemented into my routine, to help us stay motivated whilst working from home is one called the ‘Marinara/ Pomodoro Custom Timer.’ This is a custom Pomodoro-style timer which you can modify to fit your daily routine. You set time segments within 1 hour that fit your workflow. For instance, you can set your timer so that you work solidly for 50 minutes, and then take a 10 minute break to have a coffee and relax your mind. Then repeat – ensuring that you still take your lunch break. This method is also good if you want to improve your time management skills and productivity.

Stay safe everyone and hopefully we will return to our normal working conditions soon. :)

Harriet Goss

Harriet's WFH set-up

During these strange and uncertain times in our lives, we’re all facing a variety of challenges and difficulties whilst working from the comfort of our own homes.

Whether working, studying or simply at a loss for what to do; it’s vital to set yourself a strict schedule…and stick to it!

I know the temptation to lounge in bed until midday can be very compelling, but it’s important to set yourself a daily routine in order to stay as productive and positive as possible.

Like the rest of the world, I also find myself working from my bedroom (not bed) – which is strange and definitely a new learning curve for me. At the time I’m writing this, I’ve been “social distancing”/working from home for a mere 10 days now. Believe me when I tell you - I did not have a routine set down from day 1! This stuff takes time – so feel free to trial and error it.

Below is an example of the schedule I’ve set myself in order to keep on top of my workload. You’ll see I’ve also allocated personal time for my own well-being (be it going for a run or simply having a coffee with my family). This is important! We may be in this situation for a little while, so taking a little time for yourself is crucial.

My routine:
7.30am - Wake up and have breakfast/get ready for the day
8.30am – Turn on computer and start work for the day
9.30am – Daily team meeting/check-in Zoom call
10.30am – Tea/coffee break
12pm – Lunch break (during this time I like to go for a walk or a run and get some much-needed Vitamin D )
1pm – Work on my apprentice portfolio
2.30pm – Tea/coffee break
4.30pm – Finish work for the day
REST OF DAY – Down time, dinner and bed

Obviously, days can vary – so don’t feel like those timings are set in stone. Some days you may have a lot more down time than usual, and others you may be up to your eyeballs in emails. It’s a strange time for us all, but if you can shape your days as much as possible– soon it’ll become a routine. We all need a bit of structure at this moment in time, so why not make a conscious effort to structure your day?

Daniela Cazan

Daniela Cazan is a Digital Marketing apprentice at the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship, Saïd Business School. We ask Daniela to answer a Q&A with us on what she has found useful working from home, over the past month.

And the winner of the Apprentice Poster Award goes to... Taimur Hashmi

The winner of our Apprentice Ambassador award went to... Bushra Nawaz

We asked Bushra a few questions about her Apprenticeship and winning this award...

1) What is your Apprenticeship?

I have taken on a role as Apprentice Laboratory Technician where I am studying to complete a Level 3 BTEC in Applied Science. I support laboratory operations at the BioEscalator, which is an innovation hub for start-up bioscience companies.

2) Can you describe some benefits of undertaking Apprenticeship based training?

Undertaking an apprenticeship has opened doors for me in the bioscience industry, as I am able to effectively network with many groups of people and take part in exciting lab projects, all while being paid!

3) What was your reaction to winning your award?

Winning the award for Apprentice Ambassador of the Year was an amazing feeling and the apprenticeship awards are a great way to recognise people who go above and beyond for their work.

4) What would you recommend to anyone else considering an Apprenticeship/taking on an apprentice?

For people who are thinking of taking on an apprentice, I would definitely advise a can-do attitude and willingness to work. Apprenticeships are a great way to gain industry experience and gain a qualification; you will also finish with a bit of money, rather than debt.

Finalists for Apprentice Ambassador of the year

Bushra was also shortlisted as a finalist for the Apprentice Technician of the year

The winner of our Technician Apprentice of the year award went to... Natalie Davis!!

And the winner of the 3rd year Apprentice Award goes to... Alex Knight!

And the winner of the 2nd year Apprentice Award goes to... Teya Agnese

We asked Teya a few questions about her Apprenticeship and winning this award...

1) What is your Apprenticeship? 

I am an Apprentice Clinical Trial Support Officer working in the Surgical Intervention Trials Unit (SITU) within the Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology & Musculoskeletal Sciences (NDORMS), whilst studying a Level 3 Business Administration Apprenticeship with Abingdon and Witney College.

2) Can you describe some benefits of undertaking an Apprenticeship? 

Apprenticeships allow you to kick-start your dream career fresh out of school, or offers you the chance to change your career later in life whilst also earning a generous salary. Not only do you gain skills and experience within the workplace that build you up to be a confident and efficient employee, but you also gain a lot of life experience that will stay with you throughout your professions. You work closely with a brilliant team, meet a lot of friendly faces at college, through the workplace and at apprenticeship events. You have the opportunity to grow your network throughout your apprenticeship course and someone is always there to offer you support.

3) What was your reaction to winning your award? 

I am overjoyed, surprised and in the moment, had a little bit of stage nerves! Nonetheless, I am extremely grateful and it was such a great feeling to be recognised for my hard work by not only my wonderfully supportive team, but also by everyone who had a say in deciding that I would be the winner for the 2nd Year Apprentice Award. Thank you!

4) What would you recommend to anyone considering an Apprenticeship? 

I would definitely recommend an apprenticeship to everyone looking to learn valuable skills, acquire lots of experience and knowledge by being more hands-on, without gaining any student debt. The advice I would offer when you are looking for your apprenticeship is to take your time to look for a course in an area that you enjoy, or a job that you could see yourself progressing in. There are a variety of brilliant companies and training providers that offer apprenticeships, so take your time to read the job description carefully and research the company.  Once you begin your apprenticeship, you will tick off countless tasks and projects throughout the course, accomplishing numerous milestones and building your confidence in every way possible; this will be the most employable experience you can gain.

Finalists for 2nd year apprentice award 2020

Teya's department came to support her

The winner of our 1st year apprentice award went to... Daniela Cazan!

Overview

This event is a chance to:

• Recognise Apprenticeships across the University
• Celebrate those who have completed Apprenticeship based training
• Award individuals who go above and beyond in their Apprenticeships

Awards:

1. 1st year Apprentice Award - presented by Wendy Simmonds, HR manager, IT services
   WINNER: Daniela Cazan
   
2. 2nd year Apprentice Award - presented by Jo Harris, Director of Finance, Saïd Business School
   WINNER: Teya Agnese
   
3. 3rd year Apprentice Award - presented by Sue Morris, Senior Appointments, Central HR
   WINNER: Alex Knight
4. Apprentice Technician Award (NEW) - presented by Prof Stuart Mackenzie, Head of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, University lead on the Technician Commitment
   WINNER: Natalie Davis
5. Apprentice Ambassador Award (NEW) - presented by Josephine Allen, POD Administrator, People and Organisational Development Team (POD)
   WINNER: Bushra Nawaz
   
6. Apprentice Poster Award - presented by Melissa Duffin, Apprenticeships Admin & Events Coordinator, Apprenticeships Team
   WINNER: Taimur Hashmi
   
7. Apprentice Manager Award - presented by Michelle Jones, Apprenticeships Lead, Oxfordshire County Council
   WINNER: Georgia Rafferty
   
8. Training Provider Individual Award (NEW) - presented by Claire Rees, Recruitment Lead, Oxford University Press
   WINNER: Gemma Burgess

Competition

And the winner of this competition was the Enterprising Oxford Team!

Winning team - Social # competition

POSTERS

Taimur Hashmi - Winner of Apprentice Poster competition

Expo

"Events, talks, lectures and once in a lifetime opportunities to meet motivated speakers"

 "PROGRESSION"

"I’ve been able to network with high profile investors, entrepreneurs and business owners"

"THE TEAM" 

“I have been given a wide range of duties and developed lots of great transferable skills"

"AMBASSADOR SCHEME – NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES"