Hosanna Gardiner strives towards personal development as she completes her apprenticeship.
37- year-old Hosanna, from Exeter, saw the opportunity to do an apprenticeship and gain a diploma when she took on some maternity cover as a Team Leader and found it allowed her to progress in her career.
When the cover ended, she grabbed the opportunity to do a Team Leader apprenticeship with us as the next step in moving up the ladder.
Speaking during National Apprenticeship Week, Hosanna, said: “There are so many reasons to do an apprenticeship because it gives you so many good opportunities. I thought even if I don’t go into a team leader role, I will get some great skills and knowledge that I can use for other opportunities as well.
“There was a cohort of us doing the Team Leader apprenticeship, but I was the only one who decided to complete it with Exeter College. I was quite nervous, but it was great, I knew my style of learning and what was going to get the best out of me.
“I knew I wanted to do something face-to-face, because of restrictions during the pandemic it could have been online, but thankfully the college made in-person classes work. It also seemed a more structured way of doing it. I had one day out a week during term time and then I had to plan my studies in during college holidays. I’m glad I did it that way, I got a lot more out of learning from my tutor and being in a group environment.”
Being a mature apprentice didn’t put her off and even though Hosanna thought she would be the oldest on her course, she actually found there were a mix of ages.
Hosanna had support from colleagues at LiveWest, including her manager, as she needed to show she was using the necessary skills in her portfolio to get the qualification. The business recognised she needed to show her development and allowed her to demonstrate her experience by leading a team.
Hosanna added: “As I was now back doing my admin job, I was concerned about that, but my manager let me lead a sub-team, which was great for putting into practice what I’ve learnt and gathering evidence. It made me feel valued because LiveWest is taking the opportunity to develop me. My team were great and supportive of me doing the qualification, so that worked well.
“I was really excited to do the apprenticeship but nervous about what it would entail. With the work alongside my day job, I spoke to my manager, and they were flexible with it. I had strict time management and planned everything in, which worked well for me.”
Hosanna didn’t go to university, so feels this has given her an alternative way to show her knowledge and skills whilst also gaining qualifications.
Following the completion of her apprenticeship, Hosanna applied for the role of Assistant Implementation Manager with LiveWest, which she believes she wouldn’t have been able to achieve without completing the apprenticeship.
She has recently heard that she achieved a distinction for her apprenticeship. She would recommend this course to others, whether it be for a step up or to try something new.
Hosanna said: “Completing the apprenticeship proved that I could do the learning and take the next steps in my career. I’ve gained some great experience, knowledge, and skills that I can take forward, I really think that helped me get the job. It’s all about making the most of the opportunities that come your way.
“My career path hasn’t been a straight line, I had to keep an open mind with it. But I’m really excited about the opportunities that are open to me with this role.
“It’s not necessarily what I imagined when I started, I thought I was going to be a Team Leader, but the apprenticeship has opened different doors. I’m really pleased and I’m happy with the options open to me in the future.”
As part of National Apprenticeship Week, LiveWest will be at the Apprenticeship Expo on Thursday 9 February at Exeter College from 12 until 4.30pm. If you’re looking for a new career or a change, you can find out about opportunities we have available.