Nailah B, Business Administrator Level 3, Claycots School

As part of National Apprenticeship Week 2024, some of the apprentices at Inspire ATA have taken the time to provide a glimpse into their lives and explain how an apprenticeship has helped them learn skills for life.

Here is her typical day;

Start Time: 9:00am

Journey to work: I walk to work as it is a short distance from my home.

How I prepare for my working day

I start my day by preparing breakfast for my children and getting them ready for school. I then have my own breakfast and prepare my packed lunch to take to work. I work in the school that my children attend so I am lucky enough to walk to school with them in the morning

Tasks I do in the morning

I start my day by checking my diary to see if I have any meetings in the day, following which I check my emails and deal with them accordingly. I then start to add all authorised Purchase Order requests onto our Financial Management System. I also answer the telephone often dealing with queries from parents and suppliers.

My work colleagues

I work in the Finance Team alongside the Finance Manager and Finance Administrator.

Lunch Break

I have my lunch in the office along with other colleagues. I also like to pop out for a short walk to get some fresh air during my lunch break.

Afternoon tasks

In the afternoon I add invoices received onto our system ready for our weekly payment run. I also send emails to parents, check my emails and answer telephone queries.

Best part of the day

I enjoy working in an open office with a friendly team who are also very supportive.

Apprentice top tips

I think an apprenticeship is a great way to kick start your career as you can achieve a qualification while gaining practical experience at your placement. It can sometimes be difficult to find a job when you have no previous experience. If you’re lucky you may also be able offered a permanent role by your placement at the end of your apprenticeship programme.

Support received

My tutor has been very supportive throughout the course, we regularly have meetings via teams to discuss my assignments. If I require further assistance or have any questions I either email, text or call my tutor and he is always prompt in responding. Inspire have also been very supportive, we have regular catch-up calls on my progress and to check whether I require any further support.

Finish Time: 3pm