The power of ‘learning on the job’ is fully appreciated by the seven apprentices at Peterborough Keys Academies Trust.

Dr Ian Young, CEO of Peterborough Keys Academies Trust said: “These case studies bring to life the power of the apprenticeship scheme. Our colleagues are clearly benefitting from the financial support and flexibility of the programmes they have undertaken. This, in turn, is hugely positive for us as an organisation, with new ideas and skills being brought into the mix.

We are completely committed to giving our staff meaningful opportunities for professional and career development and the apprenticeship scheme is a particular area we will be seeking to develop further.”

Mr Nazakat Rasib, Assistant Headteacher, Jack Hunt School

I began my career at Jack Hunt School in 2011 as a Teaching Assistant. I appreciated the hard work all teachers do to support young people in the city. In 2013 I decided to complete my Teacher Training and qualified as a PE teacher in 2014 and have worked my way up from KS4 Co-ordinator in PE to Head of House. More recently, I have had the opportunity to progress in to an Associate Assistant Headteacher and now hold the position of Assistant Headteacher as of January 2024.

 

I discovered the senior leader masters apprenticeship through Coventry University, which I began in January 2023, which has further supported my development into my senior roles within the school. I look forward to completing my course, which will give me an MA in Educational Leadership as well as achieving CMI status. I am grateful for the support of my line manager, mentor and school for being able to develop myself as a professional during this course.

 

Niamh Walsh, Executive Team Assistant, Peterborough Keys Academies Trust

I joined the PKAT team in January 2020 as PA to the Headteachers and CEO / COO. Following a restructure of the central function in 2022, I was promoted to the central position of Executive Team Assistant.

 

Part of our core Trust mission has been CPD and professional development of our current staff body. I thought this would be the perfect time to develop myself and get back into studying. I had been considering degrees for a while however wanted to be able to study in my own time without having to leave the job I love. Discovering degree apprenticeships provided the perfect opportunity for me to study full time for a degree whilst also maintaining my full-time job. I received the full support of my Line Manager (Dr Ian Young, CEO) and mentor (Mr Howard Nelson, CFOO) to pursue this opportunity and journey of professional development and am grateful that my employer has been willing to invest time, money and support into my development as a professional. I have been fully supported by my colleagues throughout my apprenticeship who are keen to hear about what I have learnt during my course and support me with my off the job hours.  

 

I am currently studying Chartered Managing at ARU. I’ve found the degree to really reinvigorate my passion for learning as well as finding the theory and purpose around some key tasks I perform. After one term completed, I am already finding myself to be more reflective on the ‘why’ behind my work. Even though I am studying as a distance learner, I still feel part of the community that university can give to people, and enjoy the opportunity to travel to Chelmsford to meet face to face with my classmates who come from a range of industry backgrounds and starting points in their careers on a monthly basis.  

 

I am very lucky to be in the position I hold at my age already and I look forward to growing with PKAT and achieving CMI status over the next couple of years.

 

Georgia Savidge, HR Officer Jack Hunt School

My apprenticeship journey started in 2023 when I was approached about turning my years of experience into a formal qualification.

I became a HR assistant with Jack Hunt School in 2021 and the apprenticeship has opened me up to a whole new depth around the wider implications of my job.

I am now nearing the end of my apprenticeship and in the time I have been on my course, it has given me the skills, knowledge and confidence in myself to attain my current position of HR Officer

 

Megan Tinker, HR Assistant Jack Hunt School

I joined Jack Hunt as an HR Apprentice and I’m currently enrolled on a HR Support course with CIPD Level 3. Over the past 18 months I’ve had opportunities to develop my knowledge and understanding of the field and develop my skills so that I can be a beneficial member of the team.

The apprenticeship route appealed to me as it was the perfect opportunity to learn on the job whilst gaining a qualification that will benefit me as I look to progress my future career in HR. Now, as an HR Assistant, I can acknowledge how valuable this has been for me.

After completing Level 3, I’m hoping to go on to complete the Level 5.

 

Sarah Byford, HR Manager, Peterborough Keys Academies Trust

I have worked in HR for a long time but never quite got around to formalising my experience with a professional qualification so when my line manager said I could complete my CIPD Qualification through an Apprenticeship I was delighted.  The Qualification is paid for through the apprenticeship levy, the Trust supports me with the time off to complete the course, and I have a great mentor in one of our Trustees. Babbingtons, the Apprenticeship provider, has a full program of materials, workshops, and a skills coach to support me through the course.

 

The benefits of the apprenticeship programme are huge, I am on my way to a professional qualification and value the fact that my line manager has believed in me enough to invest the time and money into supporting me, the Trust has an upskilled and professional HR team, and the staff across the Trust have a strong team to support them throughout their employee life with us.

 

I am looking forward to developing the apprenticeship programme across the Trust, helping our staff to increase their skill levels and benefit from the variety of apprenticeships on offer.

 

Brandon Hancock, PKAT IT Services Apprentice

I have chosen to work for PKAT this due to me having a huge passion for computers and also helping to support students in the school with my previous work experience at Thomas Deacon Academy which I have bring to PKAT with some slight differences on how everything here is managed compared to TDA and hopefully with my knowledge to improve the schools system and developing knowledge within the trust for wanting to learn and new skills, moving forward from my apprenticeship I hope to become a full time employee and wanting to progress on my doing cyber security course within the trust and help supporting the schools security and providing ideas and software and how to keep everyone safe and secure, preventing viruses and malware which can massively affect all 5 PKAT Schools. 

 

Jo Christopher, Business Manager, Nova Primary Academy

 

I am always eager to learn but felt that I wanted to undertake something formal that would give me a qualification, rather than just picking things up as I go along.  I have been thinking about which way to develop my career, now my children are older, and the role of Business Manager ticked all the boxes.  It’s a very busy role, with a variety of focuses which I enjoy immensely.  Taking on the apprenticeship, with a colleague, has helped as I have someone to discuss modules with for clarification.

 

I am three months into the apprenticeship as have found it so far very helpful as I am learning my new role in the school. I am hoping by the end of the course to have all the knowledge together with experience to take the full role of Business Manager on, and complete this to the best standard.