Apprentices in Skill Shortages

Business Administration and Building Control

Tom Towler's story:

I carried out an administration apprenticeship within my Local Authority (London Borough of Bexley).  This apprenticeship provided me with a lot of the skills needed for my future career. Skills such as team work, and operating the telephone helped me to boost my confidence when communicating with others. Once I had completed my apprenticeship I was presented with an NVQ qualification in administration. This was a great qualification to be able to include on my CV and is well recognised by employers. On completion of my apprenticeship I made applications to job positions of my interest and was given all the help and support needed from colleagues and college tutors. As mentioned, my NVQ was well recognised and employers responded quickly to my applications.

I attended interviews where employers had shown interest and almost instantly after completion of my apprenticeship, I was offered another job position which required administrative knowledge and skills.

I am now a trainee for the Building Control Department of the London Borough of Bexley. My roles involve administrative duties and also site work. I attend college one day a week where I carry out building studies leading to a BTEC national diploma qualification. This is very well suited to my role and provides me with  a great amount of career paths such as; building control,  quantity surveying, building surveying, architecture or even construction management. Once I complete my current course I will be able to move on to a higher qualification which will provide me with an even wider range of career paths and I will have the opportunity to progress on to university. My current job role offers me site experience which is a great upper hand when studying at college.

Carrying out my apprenticeship provided me with everything I needed to progress on the career path I wished to choose.